Open To Interpretation
by meg
Summary: It's a Lily/James story! But it also has some different relationships in it too...Seventh year! Good and Bad times, fun and death also! ~Complete~
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognise in this whole story. It probably belongs to J.K. Rowling or something like that (. If you see anything familiar or it looks like one of your stories then I apologise and I'll remedy the situation it as best as I can. On With The Show  
  
  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
  
  
"I HATE YOU JAMES POTTER!" Lily Evans screamed, bursting through the Gryffindor Portrait.  
  
"What is the matter, dearest?" asked the culprit.  
  
"YOU are a disgrace to all the 'heads' ever to have come through Hogwarts!" yelled Lily rounding on James who was seated casually in an armchair.  
  
"What now, Evans?"  
  
"You are the Head Boy. You have to obey the rules which means you can't run through the FORBIDDEN FORREST at night or traipse around the school corridors after curfew, WITHOUT a reason, OR SNOG ONE OF YOUR GIRLFRIENDS IN A CUPBOARD OR EMPTY CLASSROOM!" Lily paused for a breath.  
  
"Jealous are we?"  
  
"JEALOUS?" she shrieked, "Oh, yes, Potter. My one ambition in life is to become as promiscuous as you. In fact, you are the only man I have yet to conquer." she said sarcastically.  
  
"Face it, Evans," James stood and made his way slowly towards Lily, "You can't resist me."  
  
"Actually I believe differently. You-Want-Me." she answered, poking him in the chest with each word.  
  
"Badly," he breathed, "You make me want to be a better man."  
  
"You make me want to rip off all my clothes, right...now." She said huskily, looking deep into his eyes.  
  
James felt his facade slip. His lip twitched and he couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing and soon after Lily joined him.  
  
"Rip off all your clothes? Now that would be a sight for sore eyes." James said still recovering from his laughter.  
  
"In all seriousness, James," Lily said, blushing at James' comment," You need to start acting like a respectable Head Boy. You can't keep acting like this. You know what sort of influence you have, especially on the younger students. It reflects badly on me aswell. I get in trouble from McGonnagal."  
  
"I'm sorry Lils. You don't really hate me do you?" James sat down in his armchair.  
  
"No, James, I don't." she said quietly.  
  
It was at this point that Sirius decided to make his entrance. He burst through the portrait hole gasping for breath.  
  
"Did I miss it?" he said panting, "I ran from the Great Hall when I heard your yelling Lils!"  
  
Lily cringed in embarrassment.  
  
"Miss what, Padfoot?" asked James innocently. Lily and James' spats were well known around the school for being amusing and very entertaining. In their younger years James and Lily did actually hate each other and they did not refuse to throw the odd curse or hex at each other.  
  
"I did!! I missed it! Oh, what a world, what a world!"  
  
"If I throw water at you, will you melt?" asked Lily, laughing at Sirius' bemused expression.  
  
"Right...This one was good aswell, Padfoot. Lily was going to, and I quote 'rip off all her clothes.'"  
  
"Lily! I'm quite shocked! Appalled!"  
  
"Pah! As if anything would shock or appal you, Sirius Black." Lily said as she collapsed into the couch opposite James.  
  
"You know, Lily," Sirius sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, "If you were going to rip off all your clothes, I wouldn't mind being present at the time."  
  
"Yah, right. Like that's gonna happen." Lily said pushing him off of her, "Why don't you go harass your girlfriend and leave me alone?"  
  
"Actually, Lils, Padfoot doesn't have a girlfriend at present. Would you like to fill the spot?" James said, winking at her.  
  
"Yeah, when pigs fly. Like I want to be dumped in the week that it takes you to get sick of a girl, Sirius."  
  
"But you would be different, Lils!"  
  
"Hmm...where have I heard that before, Sirius. Oh, that's right." Lily put on a high pitched voice, " 'He said I would be different! He said he wouldn't dump me. How can I go on?' I've heard that about you too James Potter."  
  
"Lils-"  
  
"Nup. Not listening. I'm going to bed before the hordes return from dinner."  
  
"Can I come?"  
  
"No, Sirius. I'm going to bed ALONE."  
  
"Oh, poor Lily. All alone."  
  
"Shut up Sirius." Lily was already half way up the stairs.  
  
"'Night Lily."  
  
"Good night James."  
  
"Night Lily," Sirius said imitating James, "I love you, Lily. Marry me, Lily."  
  
"Padfoot give it up. I don't like Lily that way. You know that."  
  
"Alright, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist."  
  
"Let's go- what? My knickers in a twist? What are you on, Sirius?"  
  
"Ahh, my young friend. The question isn't what am I on...It's What aren't I on."  
  
James sighed, "Come on, let's go. I don't really want to talk to anyone either."  
  
James and Sirius made their way up to the seventh year dorms just as everyone returned from dinner, wondering why there wasn't blood spilled or any sign of carnage in their common room.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: I want to see if anyone likes how I write before I continue because I haven't written anything like this before. The reason I didn't describe any of my characters is because I have my own interpretation of how they look and it's different to everyone else's that I read on Fanfic.soo I decided to let you imagine them how you want to. More characters will be introduced as the story goes on..if it does continue and if they are new I will describe them but if not, let your imagination run free.lol I sound like some sort of sappy card. Please review if you want more of the story!!!  
  
meg  
  
p.s. The meaning of the title will fit in later on. 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Check the first chapter for the proper disclaimer!  
  
  
  
  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
Lily woke up the next morning to the birds chirping through her window. "Bloody birds." she muttered as she got up and got ready to take a shower. One of her friends, Arabella Figg, was already awake.  
  
"Lily! What happened last night? You were asleep before we could ask!" She made her way over to Lily. Arabella was a little taller than Lily and she had straight dark brown hair and brown eyes. Lily, Arabella and Jessabelle, the other girl in their dorm, were best friends. Jessabelle had short blonde hair and grey eyes. She was the shortest of the three but no one made a comment about it. They were too scared to.  
  
"Let me have my shower first and I'll tell you after. Not that much happened anyway." Lily said closing the bathroom door after her.  
  
"Sure Lily!" Arabella yelled through the door. She went and sat on Lily's bed, pretending to sleep but had to get up again and slam the window shut. "Bloody birds." (A/N You all know what I mean)  
  
"Okay, Lils. Spill." Arabella was bouncing on Lily's bed as she came out of the shower.  
  
"Nothing happened, Bella. I just yelled at James for neglecting to act like a respectable head boy and then he apologised. Nothing else happened."  
  
"Pah. How boring. When are the two of you going to admit that you're deeply in love," Arabella swooned at these words, "and give the rest of us a break!"  
  
"Bella, James doesn't feel that way about me."  
  
"I've seen the way he looks at you though! If a guy looked at me like that then I wouldn't wait for him to make the first move."  
  
"Really? Maybe...Oh, Bella, stop it now. Besides we know Sirius has got your vote."  
  
"Ugh, come on let's wake up sleeping beauty." Arabella walked over to Jessabelle who was burrowed somewhere under her sheets. "How should we wake her this time?"  
  
"Oh no you don't. She wouldn't talk to me for a week after last time. JESS! Get up before Bella starts torturing you!" Jessabelle grunted in her sleep and turned over. Her head came out from the sheets but down the opposite end as it was supposed to be but she wasn't awake. "Ugh, this isn't going to work."  
  
"Use this." Arabella had gone to the water pitcher and brought it back, handing it to Lily.  
  
"It's been nice knowing you." Lily threw the ice-cold water over Jessabelle's face. Jessabelle sat up with a gasp. She spun around and fixed the other girls with a deathly glare.  
  
"You two are going to die!" she yelled as Arabella and Lily ran out the door, "I'll get you two! You're going down." she muttered to herself as she made her way into the shower.  
  
Lily and Arabella were walking down to breakfast slowly because Lily didn't want to face everyone and Arabella didn't want to walk by herself.  
  
"Could you really hear me all the way down in the Great Hall last night?"  
  
Arabella laughed, "No Lily. We were pretty close to the common room last night. We had to hold Sirius back so he wouldn't interrupt you two." The girls continued walking, Lily much happier now. "Oh that reminds me! Guess who we walked in on in an empty classroom?"  
  
Lily sighed, "Bella.....Oh alright, who?"  
  
Arabella started jumping around, "PETEY!!!AND MANDY!!!"  
  
"From Ravenclaw? Are you serious...my God." Lily started to laugh.  
  
"I know! Can you imagine?"  
  
"NO! I don't want to, thank you very much. I can't believe it." Arabella and Lily made their way over to the Gryffindor table and sat opposite the Marauders minus Remus.  
  
"Morning, girls. What can't you believe, Lils?" asked James as the girls sat down.  
  
"Huh?" Lily was snapped out of her reverie, "Oh! Peter, I heard about what you got up to last night!"  
  
"What's this Wormtail?" asked James.  
  
"Nothing." Peter muttered into his plate.  
  
"I'm sure Mandy wouldn't like to be referred to as 'nothing' Pete." Remus came up at that moment and sat next to a very red Peter. "Aren't you girls missing a member?"  
  
"They aren't now." a stony voice said from behind the girls. Lily and Arabella shrunk down in their seats. It was Jessabelle.  
  
"It was Lily! All Lily!" Arabella said hiding behind Lily as best she could.  
  
"Traitor. Who was the one who handed me the water pitcher?"  
  
"Oh, no Lily. You didn't." Sirius said as the boys watched the display unfold before their eyes. "Those pitchers are made to keep the water cold all the time....And full to the top."  
  
"Why is everyone blaming me? Arabella handed me the pitcher!" Lily said indignantly.  
  
"Well both of you have some serious sucking up to do. And I mean homework for a week!"  
  
"Jess, no way. How do you expect to-"  
  
"-learn if you copy or let someone else do your work. I'm doing you a favour. Gees, what is this world coming to?" The boys, Jessabelle and Arabella all said together.  
  
"Oh, screw you guys."  
  
"Peter?" a girl came up to Peter, "Can I sit with you and your friends?"  
  
"Uh, Mandy. Let's not. I'll walk you to your class. You don't want to sit with my friends believe me." Peter and Mandy left the Gryffindor table where the rest of his friends were whistling and cat calling after him.  
  
"Jamsie boy? You're being awfully quiet. What's got your mind?" Sirius elbowed his best friend to get his attention.  
  
"Not what, Padfoot, it's who." he answered.  
  
"Oh, no. Who is it this time?"  
  
"That one." James said pointing to a sixth year Gryffindor. Remus, Arabella and Jessabelle were all looking at Lily who was staring down at her plate.  
  
"Prongs, could you discuss this another time?" Remus asked as the girls all got up to leave.  
  
"We're going to class. See you there." Arabella said as the girls left.  
  
"Okay." Remus smiled at the girls as the walked out. "James, you prat. Do you want to be anymore unfeeling?"  
  
"Huh? What are you on about Moony?" James took his eyes off of the sixth year to face Remus.  
  
"You are totally clueless, James. Poor Lily."  
  
"What are you talking about? What's wrong with Lily?" Sirius chimed in.  
  
"Let's get to charms before we're late." answered Remus.  
  
"Since when do we care about being late?" Despite this, the boys all got up and followed the girls' footsteps.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
November 27th  
  
It was three weeks since James had seen the sixth year Gryffindor and they were still going out. Everyone was sure this romance would last and James wouldn't get bored of his girlfriend. The two of them were sitting in an armchair at the corner of the common room, staring into each other's eyes and talking quietly. Lily was sitting in front of the fire, curled up on couch and trying to read.  
  
"What are you reading, Lils?" Remus asked as he sat down beside her. Lily handed him the book. "Little Women? I've heard it's good."  
  
"Yeah" she answered quietly.  
  
"Kinda hard to read when you're concentrating on something else though, hey?"  
  
Lily sighed, "I'm going to bed. Sorry Remus. I'm not much company." she stood up and stretched.  
  
"Good night Lils." Remus gave Lily a hug.  
  
"Goodnight." Lily walked towards the staircase. A girl went sprinting past, knocking into Lily in her haste.  
  
"Are you okay, Lils?" James asked as he came up to see if she was okay.  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
"I broke up with her. I don't think she took it too well though." Lily smiled at this and the night took a turn for the better. "Why are you happy about that, Lily? Aren't you going to give me a lecture on 'poor girls' hearts'?" "No, James. I'm sure you know it already." Lily said smiling.  
  
"Let me guess, you didn't like my girlfriend very much? I agree with you. Everyone said she was perfect but I don't know. Something about her just wasn't right for me."  
  
"That's it exactly, James." Lily said sarcastically, "Goodnight James." Lily walked up to her dorm leaving James very confused.  
  
"What did I do this time?"  
  
"You are clueless James my boy." Arabella said coming down the stairs. "Who wants to be beaten at chess this time?" she yelled over the common room.  
  
Author's Note: Another chapter done! YAY! Oh I know Arabella's been done but the story doesn't have the same feel without her in it.also in the fourth book there was a mention of an ageing potion and J.K. Rowling tends to introduce things in advance.so you never know! Maybe she overdosed on the stuff!!!! I can't believe I actually got reviews! I was so excited that I had to write more and see what you people think about it! So yeah, again if you want more story please tell me and I'll see if I can write more! Keep reading and reviewing!  
  
MY THANK-YOU LIST! Jonah: I tried to put more of Remus in this. I hope you like! Emerald-Eyez: Thankyou!! buggy-such: thankyou! I hope you like this chapter as well! Hazelmist: I'm usually pretty sarcastic myself so.yeah! And to the person who left no name: Here's more story!  
  
meg 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Once again it's up the top of the first chapter (  
  
  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
"Pinch and a punch for the first day of the month." Arabella was walking around the Gryffindors table, making sure everyone knew what day it was.  
  
"Bella sit down. That is so juvenile. Eat some breakfast." Sirius said as she came near the Marauders, Lily and Jessabelle again. They all looked at Sirius in disbelief.  
  
"Gees, when did you get a stick up your-" Arabella muttered under her breath.  
  
"Bella, pass the jam."  
  
"Here Lils. But Sirius it's the month of Christmas! And we have a Hogsmeade trip! Aren't you excited at all?" asked Arabella.  
  
"No, because-" Sirius was interrupted by the morning post.  
  
"Remus! Is that a love letter? Who's it from?" Jessabelle was leaning over trying to get a look at Remus's letter that just arrived.  
  
"Hardly," He coughed, "It's a letter from my mother. My older brother, Ryan, has been killed and she wants me home early for Christmas." Remus's voice was deadly calm.  
  
"Killed?" Jessabelle whispered. The rest of the group and those surrounding were looking at Remus for a reaction. He stood up and left the Great Hall.  
  
"Where's he going?" asked Peter.  
  
"I don't know. Should we follow him?" Sirius turned to James for the answer.  
  
"I don't care whether you guys come or not but I'm going to see if he's okay." Jessabelle cut in. She seemed to make everyone's mind up as they all stood up when she did and exited the hall in pursuit of Remus.  
  
An hour later, the group all met in front of the Fat Lady. Remus wasn't found anywhere and they had searched high and low.  
  
"Do you suppose he went home already?" Lily asked.  
  
"I doubt it....Oh my God. I can't believe we didn't think of this earlier Padfoot." James looked at Sirius annoyed with himself.  
  
"The Map. Go and get it you git!" James ran through the portrait and returned a minute later.  
  
"He's in a tower off of the Ravenclaw common room."  
  
"Brilliant, James." Lily said in admiration.  
  
"Whiy Thank-Ewe, miy Laadee." James drawled.  
  
"Ugh, let's go." The group was already running through corridors and Lily and James had to sprint to catch them.  
  
"What now?"Arabella asked. They were in front of the stairs leading to the tower. "He'll hate us if we all go in there and crowd him. One of us should go."  
  
"Can I?" Jessabelle asked quietly, "I mean, it's hard to cry in front of your friends." She said looking at the boys, "And I know him best out of us." she looked at the girls.  
  
"Go on then Jess. But we'll be up in about 10 minutes so warn him."  
  
"Okay." Jessabelle moved up the stairs and the rest of the group sat down on the ground in front of them.  
  
"Remus?" Jessabelle went through the door and received a huge blast of bitterly cold air. She walked over to the open window and shut it with a bang. "It's cold in here."  
  
Remus stayed silent leaning on a pillar.  
  
Jessabelle walked over to stand in front of him. "Remus, if you need me, I'm here."  
  
Remus looked at her, "How am I supposed to deal with this, Jess?"  
  
"Remus," she threw her arms around his waist and he hugged her tightly, tears streaming down his face. "I don't know how you're supposed to deal with it. But you have all of us here to help and we're all good at giving hugs." she smiled up at him and received a small smile in return. "I'm so sorry, Remus."  
  
"So am I." he sighed, "No one asks for death at such an early age."  
  
"Moony." the rest of the group had come in. Remus let go of Jessabelle but not before a flicker of disappointment passed his face.  
  
"Remus.." Lily walked over and gave him a hug, followed by everyone. (Lots of hugs! I'm a huggy person...But the boys gave manly-macho hugs...you know the ones. #ruin the moment why don't you#)  
  
"Come on, we'll go back to the common room, it's warm and the there's not many people there."  
  
"I'm sorry guys. Go to Hogsmeade." Remus apologised.  
  
"Don't be silly, Moony. We're going to stay with you. Besides it's too cold to properly enjoy a Hogsmeade trip. And we have our ways of getting provisions when we need them." Sirius winked at him.  
  
"*Bob's Your Uncle.*"  
  
"Indeed, child. Did you know him?" The Fat Lady swung forward to allow them access to the common room. They all sat in front of the fire avoiding the subject, which Remus was very glad of. Around lunchtime, James and Sirius disappeared and came back with heaps of food to eat.  
  
"Wonderful! I was getting peckish." Arabella said looking at all the food.  
  
"Like you need to eat!"  
  
"Sirius! You prick! Take that back." she said chasing him around the common room. She managed to tackle him the ground and sat on top of him.  
  
"Bella, dear, are you comfortable. AH! What are you doing?" Arabella was digging around his pockets. She pulled out his wand triumphantly. "Oh, no."  
  
"Yes, I am comfortable thankyou. No say it wasn't true before I shove this wand up your arse. If there's any room."  
  
"IT'S NOT TRUE! IT'S NOT TRUE!"  
  
"Hmm, not good enough."  
  
"Okay. You're the most beautiful human being on the planet, not overweight by any means. And if we weren't so young I'd ask you to marry me." Sirius smiled charmingly at her.  
  
"That's not too bad. Do you guys have anything you want Sirius to answer while I have him under my thumb?"  
  
"Oh, no you don't." Sirius rolled over and in the process chucked Arabella off of him.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Shit, are you okay?" Sirius went over and knelt beside Arabella.  
  
Arabella stuck her tongue out at Sirius, "Like you care." she got up and joined the rest of the group you were still laughing at the two. "And NO! I won't marry you!"  
  
"Mark my words. You'll change your mind when I become extremely famous and wanted by every magical person in the world, and some muggles too." The group laughed at him and continued eating.  
  
~~~  
  
"I better go and pack." Remus stood up, it was mid afternoon and he was leaving just after dusk.  
  
"Do you want some company?" Jessabelle stood at Remus's nod. They both left the common room.  
  
"Don't they make the sweetest couple?" Lily sighed when Jessabelle and Remus had left.  
  
"Trust you to think of that Lils. I doubt that's what Remus is thinking about right now." Sirius said.  
  
"I know but afterwards he'll think back and remember that Jess was there for him. Smart girl."  
  
"Lily!"  
  
"Oh come on Bella. You know how sweet Remus is. He would make the best boyfriend."  
  
"Lily! Do you fancy our Moony?" Sirius asked, an evil glint in his eyes.  
  
"Do we have to talk about this now?" James said annoyed.  
  
Lily sighed, "No to both of you and don't anyone think I'm being shallow thinking of this now. I was merely an observation."  
  
"Right, Lils." Peter chimed in.  
  
In the boys dorm though.  
  
"I bet they're talking about me now." Remus said chucking things into a bag.  
  
"It's bound to happen." Jessabelle said swinging her feet off the end of the bed. "So this is the boys dorm. Interesting."  
  
"Don't play dumb with me, Jess. I know you've been up here during your earlier years, playing pranks on us and the likes. Besides it's almost exactly like the girl's room." he said smiling cheekily at her. (a/n Read author's note...important.)  
  
"Remus! When were you up there and why? And I only did those pranks 'cause Lily forced us to."  
  
"Same thing as always. Pranks."  
  
"Ah...."  
  
Remus finished packing. "Well Dumbledore should be by soon..."  
  
Jessabelle ran up to him and threw her arms around his waist, again. "I'm so sorry, really I am. I wish it happened to anyone but you."  
  
"If it happened to any of your friends you'd be saying that." He said hugging her back.  
  
"I know. Why couldn't it happen to Snape or Malfoy or someone like that?"  
  
"Jess," Remus looked down at her, "We all know the answer to that one. Don't cry, please."  
  
"I'm sorry. I just hate seeing you upset." she sighed, "I should be the one to comfort you not the other way around."  
  
Remus wiped her tears with his thumb. "Come on, I think Dumbledore's waiting for me. I'll be fine, honestly." He let go of Jessbelle and picked up his bags. They both walked down to the common room and the headmaster was waiting for Remus.  
  
"I'm extremely sorry for your loss, Remus. Please give my condolences to you parents."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"You'll leave from my office."  
  
"I'll be back after Christmas, guys. See you then."  
  
The girls ran up to him and gave him a huge hug. "Bye Remus."  
  
"See you, mate. We're here for you." the boys hugged him as well (manly- macho hug of course)  
  
"Thanks. Bye." Remus followed Dumbledore out the portrait and away from the Gryffindors.  
  
"That's so sad." Arabella said when he left.  
  
"I know." was the general consent.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
The Marauders, Lily, Jessabelle and Arabella were sitting around the breakfast table just like they were a couple of days ago.  
  
"It's not the same without Remus." Lily said sadly.  
  
"Poor guy, I wonder how he is. Oh, that reminds me. Who here is going home for Christmas?" Peter asked.  
  
"I'm going home with Lily to have Christmas at her place." Arabella replied. It was well known that her parent's had been killed in her second year.  
  
"I'm going home too." Jessabelle said quietly. She was still thinking about Remus.  
  
"Well it looks like it's just you two then." Peter looked to James and Sirius. "I'm going home as well." The morning post came in at that moment.  
  
"What did you get Lily?" Arabella looked over her shoulder.  
  
"It looks like we're not going home for Christmas, Petey" Lily said then promptly fainted.  
  
Author's Note: I'm sorry I left you with kind of a cliffy but it was fun! And it will help me write the next chapter. Before you get angry or confused or whatever about Remus, when someone dies you go through a heap of stages and I put him in denial which is why he was joking around with Jess. The manly-macho hug, uhh.I just think that that's funny. Not as many reviews as I got for the first chapter.actually only 2 for the 2nd chapter but 2 is enough to go on with. Plus there were some more reviews for the first chapter that I didn't thank so here's the thank-you list (  
  
THANKYOU TO: Jonah: When I review stuff I love getting my name put at the end so I'm gonna do it for this story!! And sorry I did that to Remus but I wanted to give him a big part in one of my chapters..I love him too!.he's gonna fade a bit now though  
  
DragonFly: Thanks! I'm trying to update as much as possible!!  
  
And for chapter one that I didn't get a chance to put them in  
  
LoonyLoopyLisa: I'm glad you agree with me! Thanks!  
  
marauderbabe289: Thanks!  
  
And if you reviewed for chap2 and you're not on this list I'm really sorry! I'll put you on the next one !!!  
  
meg 


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: First Chapter..Also Magical Law Enforcement doesn't belong to me (DARN!)  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
"Shhhh! You'll wake her!"  
  
"Is that a bad thing? We need to talk to her!"  
  
"Sirius keep your voice down." Lily felt darkness surround her for the second time.  
  
"What did the letter say?" James asked Arabella, they were all in the Hospital Wing surrounding Lily's bed.  
  
"I don't know I didn't think it was my place to read it."  
  
"Well, I think you should read it out. I for one want to know what would make Lily have that reaction." Sirius argued.  
  
"Okay..." Arabella found the letter. "Dear Miss Lily A. Evans-"  
  
"What does the A stand for?"  
  
"Sirius! Continue Bella." James said in annoyance.  
  
" 'We regret to inform you of the death of your parents, Mr and Mrs Andrew L. Evans. There is much speculation as to the cause of death and an inquiry is underway as I write. Your sister, Petunia M. Evans, is currently staying with her fiancés' family and she is quite distraught with the news. We think it best that you do not contact your sister for the present time. For the Christmas holidays, we will leave you under the capable care of your Headmaster Albus Dumbledore........ Our sincerest condolences,' and it's signed by the head of Magical Law Enforcement. Doesn't that deal with Voldemort and Aurors run it or something like that?"  
  
"They don't know how they died? That's so strange. Poor Lily. First Remus and now Lily." Jessabelle muttered.  
  
"It is so sad." Arabella said tears streaming down her face. "Mr and Mrs Evans were so nice and now they're gone." Sirius walked over to her and hugged her. "It's like losing parents all over again," she whispered into his shoulder.  
  
"Shhh..." Sirius said rubbing her back. "It's okay. It'll be okay."  
  
"Bella," Lily croaked from the bed. She coughed before continuing in a clear voice, "It's true isn't it. I didn't dream it." Lily sat up in the bed.  
  
"Yes Lils. I'm so sorry." Arabella broke away from Sirius and went to comfort Lily.  
  
"Don't be. It's not your fault. Can we get out of here? I hate the Hospital Wing."  
  
"Wait. How are you feeling first Lily?" James asked.  
  
"Like I want to die, James. But if you mean am I going to faint again, the answer is no I won't."  
  
"Alrite, sorry Lils." James said quietly. Lily got up from the bed. She hadn't been there long so she was still in her normal clothes.  
  
"Quick before Madame Pomfrey comes back." The group almost ran out of the Hospital Wing and they were well away before the nurse started yelling.  
  
"Where do you want to go Lils?" asked Arabella.  
  
"Back to our dorm." The group walked back to the Gryffindor Tower in silence and when they got there they went to their own dorms. No one really felt like talking. They were all thinking too much about Voldemort and how safe they really were.  
  
~~~~  
  
Time passed unnoticed to Lily. Soon Peter and Jessabelle had left, as had much of the school, but Lily didn't seem to be attentive to any of it. Christmas eve found James, Sirius, Arabella and Lily sitting around the common room fire. There were only a handful of other younger students staying and they had long gone to bed. It was then that James brought up Lily's zombie-like attitude towards everything.  
  
"Lily, we're all extremely worried about you." Lily just looked at him.  
  
"We miss the old Lils who would joke around with us and have fun and who loved going to class and still got a kick of watching the food appear every night in the Great Hall." Sirius chimed in.  
  
"Lily, we're all here for you but you need to stop wallowing and let us help you!" Arabella said as gently as she could.  
  
Lily stood up, "When you're all finished having a go at me, I think I'll go to bed." She said coldly, turning around and walking up to her dorm.  
  
"That didn't go well."  
  
"Sirius the Observant strikes again."  
  
"No need to be sarcastic Bella."  
  
"I think I'll go see if I can talk to her." James cut in before a war started between Sirius and Arabella.  
  
"Good luck Prongs. Don't fancy being you."  
  
"Sirius!" Arabella whacked him, "Lily's our friend. Don't forget." James heard as he walked up to the girls' dorm. He knocked on the door before entering.  
  
"Lils?" James spotted her over by the window. He walked over to her as she turned around to face him.  
  
"What do you want, James?" He could tell that she'd been crying.  
  
"What Sirius said is true. We all miss you like crazy. And what Arabella said is also true, we're always going to be here for you."  
  
"So it's also true that you think I should stop wallowing in self pity? Tell me James, how long did it take you to get over your parents being killed? Yeh, you guys didn't get to read the other letter did you? Voldemort killed my parents but tried to make it look like muggles did it. Didn't do a very good job though did he?" she gave a humourless laugh, "Turns out the bastard was trying to get me to turn away from muggles. He wants me on his side. He wants me to be like him and torture and kill those who I grew up with." She said choking out this last bit.  
  
"Lils, I'm so sorry." James wrapped his arms around her as she cried into his shoulder, "And Voldemort's plan failed, didn't it? You hate him even more now. Bet his spewing about that." Lily chuckled a bit at this. "And the truth is Lils, you never do get over it. I still think about my parent's from time to time. But usually it's all the good things and after a while that makes you happy. And," he said looking down at her, "sometimes I even talk to them as if they're there. But you tell anyone that and I'll deny it straight away." Lily laughed this time, "It's good to hear you laugh again."  
  
"Thank you James, I didn't think it was possible."  
  
"Do you want to go down to the common room and see if Sirius and Arabella have killed each other yet?"  
  
"Okay." Lily said laughing. They walked down the stairs and found Sirius and Arabella curled up in front of the fire. Arabella's head was resting on Sirius' chest and Sirius had his arms wrapped around Arabella protectively.  
  
"Oh this is too good to miss." James said summoning Peter's camera from his dorm. Peter being the forgetful person he is, forgot to take it home for Christmas. As James was snapping pictures, Lily was trying to manipulate Arabella and Sirius into more compromising positions. (A/N:I know compromising isn't the right word but I couldn't think of 'it'. 'It' was at the tip of my fingers and then *poof* 'it' was gone.)  
  
"Should we wake them?" Lily asked when James had used up all the film and Arabella now had one hand up Sirius' shirt.  
  
"Too late." Sirius said sleepily, "Bella dear, what is your hand doing up my shirt?"  
  
"Shuddup, I'm sleeping."  
  
"I'm aware of that. But do you know that you're asleep on top of me?"  
  
"You weren't complaining the other night." Lily and James were near to bursting point at this stage.  
  
"Yes I know Bella, honey. But we didn't have company then." Sirius said in a very strained voice.  
  
"Oh, Shit."  
  
"Shit is right Bella honey, dear. We have evidence." James said waving the camera in front of the two.  
  
"You bastard." Sirius said jumping up and chasing James around the common room, "Some best friend you claim to be."  
  
"Who said I was your best friend?" James was at one side of the table and Sirius at the other.  
  
"You're not?" Sirius asked confused.  
  
"How cute is this?" Lily asked Arabella, sitting next to her on the couch and transfiguring some parchment into popcorn.  
  
"I know! Boys and their emotions. Blargh! This tastes like paper!" Arabella spat out the popcorn.  
  
"LILY! Take this and hide it!!" James ran up to her, Sirius hot on his heels. Lily grabbed the camera and sprinted away from Sirius and up the stairs.  
  
"Shit she's fast."  
  
"Yeh and you ain't never gonna to find it. Lils is too good at hiding stuff." Arabella said popping some popcorn into her mouth. (ehehe popping the popcorn...shuting up now...)  
  
"You aren't at all worried, Belle? Not at all, at all?" Sirius asked her.  
  
"Belle? Since when is it Belle and not BellA?" James cut in.  
  
"Since I like Belle better than Bella." Sirius said grinning at James. Sirius threw himself onto the couch next to Arabella grabbing some popcorn. "Mmmm, Paper." Lily came down the stairs and sat down in an armchair.  
  
"So how long have you two had this 'thing' going on?" Lily asked them.  
  
Arabella shifted so her legs were now over the edge of the couch and her head was resting on top of Sirius' legs. "Not too long." She answered nonchalantly. Sirius was still grinning, enjoying the stunned look on James' face.  
  
James sat down in a chair still shocked. "I can't believe it. Sirius and Arabella, Padfoot and Bella, the Git and-"  
  
"HEY! Don't even think about insulting Belle." Sirius said the grin gone.  
  
"Chill, Padfoot. I wasn't going to. The Git and the Beauty." James answered smoothly, winking at Arabella. Sirius growled at him.  
  
"Yes, well while you two prove your masculinity. I'm going to bed. Are you coming Lils?" Arabella said standing up and stretching.  
  
"Yep."  
  
Arabella bent down and kissed Sirius who was reluctant to let go of her. "Goodnight boys."  
  
"Goodnight guys. You have a helluva lot of explaining to do, young lady." Lily said following Arabella out of the common room.  
  
"So do you, Padfoot. How come you didn't tell me? I can't believe I didn't see it." James muttered the last bit to himself.  
  
"Yeah, well, you're not the best person to see any emotions are you Prongsie."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Sirius sighed, "Nothing.....Let's just go to bed." He looked at the time. "Oh, and Merry Christmas."  
  
"Merry Bloody Christmas."  
  
Author's Note: It's getting longer and longer!!! I had planned on writing Christmas in here but then I'd have to think of gifts to give to them and stuff and there's always a sappy little gift from James to Lily so I'm not going to do it. Tough bickies *grins* Anyways almost everyone.actually I think everyone did...guessed why Lily fainted.#really obvious meg duh# Am I really that transparent? I just thought I'd try and make it a bit more interesting. It's turning into a full on killing fest here..I wonder who'll go next *grins madly* #smacks Voldemort's (or Videoart's as Word would like it) head# you're having a bad influence on me.  
  
Anywhos.I GOT REVIEWS!!!YAY!!!!! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!  
  
Thankyou to:  
  
liza: Got it in one!! Not too original of me but you get that. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Jlee (Jonah): Remus has gone home! Noooo.I love all the Marauder's.even Petey the little rat.can't help but pity him. Anyway I hope you liked this chapter!  
  
Katlynn: Kinda.Petunia IS getting married but yeh the ministry people's wanted her to stay at Hogwart's for Christmas. (times the thanks by 3!!)  
  
Hazelmist: I love the Sirius and Arabella relationship as well.it's why I added it in!! And yep, you were right!  
  
meg  
  
P.s. about the department of Magical Law Enforcement..I don't know if that's right.I think I stole it from someone but I can't remember who. Anyways Thanks!!!  
  
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!! 


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Ugh, every chapter I put this but I'd feel bad if I didn't so.I don't own anything you recognise, check the first chapter!!!!!  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
When Jessabelle, Remus and Peter came back, they had a few things to get used to. Firstly, Lily was slowly getting back to her old self and secondly there was the whole Arabella/Sirius romance. Remus and Jessabelle had a lot to say on that matter but Peter seemed to withdraw into himself. He had become very quiet and the Marauder's brought this up on numerous occasions but he ignored them or walked off. Needless to say, they were all worried about him but they didn't want to push him away further by constantly bringing it up.  
  
It was one night in the middle of January that had the girls sitting around the common room fire talking with the Marauders "mysteriously" absent.  
  
"How long have you and Sirius been going out now, Bella?" Jessabelle asked cheekily.  
  
Arabella groaned, "Honestly! One more day than yesterday when you asked me the SAME QUESTION!!!!"  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"Three weeks." Arabella giggled.  
  
"Aww...Aniversary!!!" Lily exclaimed.  
  
"Don't be silly, Lily." This caused the girls to start laughing hysterically.  
  
"Why are we laughing?" Lily asked gasping for breath.  
  
"I haven't a clue!" Arabella chirped.  
  
"Do you mind? Some of us are trying to do work!" A snotty sixth year yelled at them.  
  
"Tsk tsk. Talking to your head girl with such disrespect, detention Lils?" Arabella grinned.  
  
"Oh, screw you. " The sixth year packed up her stuff and left the common room in a huff.  
  
"Another enemy for your list, Bella! Gees, dating Sirius isn't as great as you thought it would be."  
  
"Yeah, and you know from experience, doncha Lils!"  
  
"UGH! ONE date, that's all...talk about a nightmare." Jessabelle and Arabella laughed at Lily's despair. "And plus that was in Fifth Year."  
  
"Alright enough boy talk. I wonder how the boys are going."  
  
"Nice way to contradict yourself Bella."  
  
"Oh, screw you!" Arabella mimicked the sixth year from before sending the girls laughing again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You boys don't look too healthy!" Arabella said a little louder than she needed to as the Marauders sat down to breakfast.  
  
"Oww...Do you need to be so loud, Belle?" Sirius whined.  
  
"Do you have a hangover, Sirius?" Lily asked innocently.  
  
"Hangover? From what...we don't have anything to dri- Oh, yeah, God I'm so tired I don't know what I'm saying."  
  
"Smooth, Padfoot. Real smooth." James said amused.  
  
"Shutup, Jamsie-poo." James groaned.  
  
"Don't start, Padfoot."  
  
"JAMSIE-POO! Where are you?" a high-pitched voice yelled over the Great Hall.  
  
"Quick! Hide me...I need to escape!" James ducked down under the table.  
  
"Have any of you seen my Jamsie-poo?"The owner of the voice came over and asked them.  
  
"I think he went looking for you, Sarie-poo!" Sirius replied in an overly cheerful voice.  
  
"You're so adorable, Siri." She pinched his cheek and walked out of the Great Hall singing. James popped his head out from under the table.  
  
"She gone?"  
  
"Smooth, Prongs. Real smooth." Sirius grinned.  
  
"Shutup before I make you." James said as he sat back down, a scowl on his face.  
  
"Prongsie here is being courted by the lovely Miss Sarah Parker. Although I don't think he returns her feelings. The poor disillusioned girl."  
  
"Courted? Doesn't that mean she wants to marry you?" Lily asked Sirius. James was looking very angrily at his plate.  
  
"And I quote," Sirius turned to James, "Jamsie-poo!" he giggled, "Mummies said that it would be absolutely fabulous if we were to marry. So, like, I was wondering," Sirius giggled again and then continued on, "When do you want to propose? How about a July marriage, I would say June but I don't think we should get married while we're still at school. So...?" Sirius batted his eyelashes at James. Half the Gryffindor table were laughing at poor James.  
  
"Oh, James. What did you do?" Arabella asked him.  
  
"He ran!" Sirius replied for him.  
  
"As fast as I bloody could! Oh, shit guys. Does the hall seem a bit quiet to you?"  
  
"We're all late! SIRIUS!" There was a mad stampede for the door and the Gryffindors that had stayed and listened to Sirius' story ran as fast as they could to their classes.  
  
"We're already late, what's another 10 minutes?" Remus said sauntering along, the rest following his lead. It turned out another 10 minutes warranted a detention in Professor McGonnagal's opinion.  
  
"20 MINUTES LATE! THAT'S PRATICALLY HALF MY CLASS! THE HEAD BOY AND HEAD GIRL AS WELL! I'm extremely disappointed in you two, not to mention the rest of you." She lowered her voice at the end, which was more effective then yelling at them. Lily and James couldn't meet the Professor's eyes. "Sit down all of you, I will have your detentions ready by the end of the class. In the meantime, you can study chapter 10 of your books, we will put it into practical use next lesson. That is if you bother to turn up on time."  
  
Nobody spoke a word the whole time and as they walked out of the classroom they were still pretty quiet.  
  
"Have you ever been put on a guilt trip like that before?" Sirius asked, breaking the silence as the walked to Herbology.  
  
"I wonder how the rest of them went." Remus said, referring to the rest of the Gryffindors who would have been late as well.  
  
"Probably not as badly as they RAN!" Arabella looked pointedly at Remus. Remus grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Kill Remus!" Sirius yelled chasing Remus outside with Arabella, Peter and Jessabelle following closely behind.  
  
"Are you okay, Lils?" James asked her as everyone ran off.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, yeah I'm fine." Lily replied cheerily.  
  
"You've had a detention before, Lils."  
  
"Not while I've been Head Girl." Lily ran off to catch up with the rest of their group leaving James to walk by himself.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"This is so megally unfair. I bet those stupid Slytherins made this mess on purpose." Arabella complained as she scrubbed the dirty potions room floor.  
  
"Ha! My guess is this is what it always looks like after they've been in here for an hour. I mean those dirty, disgusting Slytherins will make this sort of mess just by sitting in a room. Do I need to list examples?" Jessabelle looked at all of them as they stared at her in amazement. Remus was the first to start laughing. "What?" Jessabelle asked grinning at them. Mcgonnagal had assigned the potions teacher to supervise them for their detention but he had been called away by Madame Pomfrey for some emergency.  
  
"You're always surprising us Jess. Who knew that your innocent little mind could think of insults worthy of a Marauder?" Sirius grinned.  
  
"Just the tip of the iceberg, my young friend." She replied.  
  
"Lils, you're awfully quiet." Arabella remarked.  
  
"Just thinking." She answered.  
  
"Must hurt." Remus laughed. Lily threw her dirty sponge at him. "Bad mistake Lils. I'll get you my pretty." He cackled.  
  
"Have you been watching The Wizard From Oz?" Arabella asked him.  
  
"Yeah, I have a T.V. in my room..." Arabella stuck her tongue out at him. "Nah but I have seen it."  
  
"Where's Oz...and what's a T.V.?" Sirius was looking very confused. The others just laughed at him. While James was explaining to Sirius what everyone was laughing about, Remus had crept up behind Lily with his bucket of dirty water in his hands. Just as she spun around, he dumped the whole lot on her head. The whole room went silent waiting for Lily's reaction. She sat there in shock for a minute before grabbing her own bucket and throwing the contents up at his face. Thus started a water fight that flooded the potions room and landed the whole lot of them another detention for the next night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I know.pretty cheesy and pointless but I thought that putting in another sad and depressing chapter would be.well, sad and depressing! And it's also a little bit shorter than some of the other chapters.sorry bout that. If you're reading this, PLEASE REVIEW!!! I live on them! I check like every minute to see if I have any and it's so disappointing when I don't..SO PLEASE PLEASE!!!! I sound really desperate I know but..that's what it'll do to you *grins* I also need to know if I should give up on this one and start something different or keep going or whatever! Ideas people!  
  
Thankyou to my 2 reviewers! (sighs) without you guys I wouldn't keep writing this!  
  
Jlee: YAY!! It's good you didn't guess!! And who knows..maybe Sirius goes for older women..MUCH OLDER!!! (shudders)  
  
draco-hermione-shipper: Thankyou thankyou! I'm glad you like it!  
  
meg  
  
p.s. Okay, well I just figured out sumfin, and I need to know whether there's been any indication in my other chapters to tell you guys when there was a time jump or it was later on or something like this ~~~ or *** . If there wasn't and it seemed like it just skipped and jumped outta nowhere then tell me and I'll fix it!  
  
Cheers mates. (hehehehe) 


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: Go To Chapter One!!!!!!  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
January past quickly for everyone at Hogwarts. It seemed like they had just gotten back from their holidays just in time for homework and just plain strenuous work that was piled on all of the students. Most Hogwart's professors seemed to realise that they had already wasted half the year and needed to make up for lost time unless it was Professor McGonnagal who had never wasted a single minute in her life, thankyou very much.  
  
It was the night before Valentine's Day, which was a Saturday this year, and Jessabelle, Lily and Arabella were sitting around a table in the common room furiously doing their homework, hoping to finish before the weekend started. The Marauders were sitting back and relaxing around the fire, one of them every now and again offering up a prank to play on some poor soul, Snape to be exact.  
  
"How about-" Sirius started.  
  
"Nup, dunnit." James answered before Sirius had even finished.  
  
"How did yo-"  
  
"Changing the robe colours? I know you like the back of my hand Padfoot, and believe me that prank is way over done."  
  
"Stupid know-it-all git." Sirius muttered to himself. The other boys laughed at him.  
  
"How do you boys plan on passing your Nasties or any of your tests for that matter, unless you start doing some work?" Lily asked the Marauders.  
  
"I didn't know you were concerned Lils." Sirius replied.  
  
"Not concerned, just curious."  
  
"You're just annoyed that we manage to get everything done without even trying."  
  
"Keep dreaming Sirius. He told me himself that he has to stay up to ungodly hours of the morning in order to get everything finished." Arabella smirked at the boys.  
  
"Nice going, Padfoot." James said smacking Sirius.  
  
"Way to ruin our rep, Oh-Teller-Of-Secrets." Remus joked.  
  
"Anything to add Wormtail?" Sirius and the rest of the group turned to Peter.  
  
"Yah....I'm going to bed." Peter got up and walked up to the dorms.  
  
"Good idea Pete." Lily said packing up her stuff.  
  
"Hey! It's Valentine's Eve!" Arabella announced.  
  
"10 points to Bella. Come on. Goodnight guys." Jessabelle followed Lily up to their dorm.  
  
"Should we leave you two alone?" James looked to Sirius and Arabella.  
  
"Ha Ha, very funny." Sirius said dryly. Arabella walked over to Sirius and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Goodnight Sirius." She grinned and walked up to her dorm.  
  
"Dee-niiiied!" James drawled. (A/N Not drooled!)  
  
"Prat."  
  
"OH! I don't think I can stand your verbal abuse any longer Padfoot." James feigned hurt. Sirius let of a string of expletives that had Remus covering his ears. "Much better, thankyou Padfoot."  
  
"Anytime Prongs."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Breakfast on Valentine's Day was very exciting for all of the older Hogwart's students. The owl post came and delivered all the Valentine's Cards. The whole school was very grateful that Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday this year, unlike years before, which meant they could enjoy the whole day. It was also a Hogsmeade weekend, which served to lighten everyone's moods.  
  
"Quick! We might miss the Owl Post! We have to be there now!" Arabella cried running around Lily and Jessabelle as they made their way towards the Great Hall.  
  
"If we did miss the owl post Arabella, they would wait around for us you nutter." Lily reassured her. They entered the Great Hall and made their way to where the Marauders usually sat. There was a huge group of people surrounding the Gryffindor Table and the girls were curious to see what they had missed.  
  
"But I have a girlfriend!" Came the unmistakeable voice of Sirius Black. The group laughed at something the girls couldn't hear. They pushed their way though the people standing in front of them, dreading what they would find. Sirius was in a chair with a scantily attired girl all in red sitting in his lap.  
  
"Padfoot." James looked warily at the girls. Before Sirius could do anything, the girl on top of him grabbed his face and kissed him. A little while later the girl came up for air looking very pleased with herself.  
  
"Now that was unacceptable. I have a girlfriend remember." Sirius said wagging his finger at her.  
  
"Not anymore you don't." Arabella's stony voice cut through the now silent Great Hall. Sirius jumped up, the girl on his lap shrieking as she hit the floor.  
  
"Belle. It's not what it looks like! I mean, it wasn't supposed to happen. Belle-"  
  
"No, Sirius. What's not supposed to happen is us."  
  
"Belle, I-"  
  
"Save it, Sirius. We're over." She turned to walk away but Sirius grabbed her hand.  
  
"Wait Belle-" he said desperately.  
  
"Don't call me Belle." Arabella wrenched her hand out of his grip and walked out of the Great Hall. Sirius looked distraught. He had never been dumped before, no girl had meant as much to him as Arabella. He ran out of the Great Hall yelling her name.  
  
"Get off the floor, Becky." Lily said coldly to the girl on the floor. "You're attire does not meet the school requirements and for that alone I will have to deduct 10 points from Ravenclaw. As for what you just did," Lily paused at this, "I thought Ravenclaws had a deeper respect for themselves and their peers. You should be ashamed of yourself. Get out of my sight. As for the rest of you," Lily raised her voice for their benefit, "Return to your house tables, the show's over." Everyone obeyed her, she was after all the Head Girl.  
  
"That bastard." Jessabelle spat as she and Lily sat down beside James and Remus. Peter was still in their dorm.  
  
"How could you let him do that?" Lily asked the boys.  
  
"Don't start, Lils. We usually don't interfere when it comes to girls." James replied.  
  
"Why couldn't you make this one of your exceptions?"  
  
"And have him do it behind everyone's back?" James looked straight at Lily. "I'm glad Arabella found out like this."  
  
"You wanted them to break up?" Lily raised her voice again in disbelief.  
  
"No, Lily-"  
  
"Then why didn't you stop him?"  
  
"If Sirius is going to change then we can't be the ones to do it for him." James reasoned with her.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Enough! I'm not going to talk behind my best friend's back.....anymore than I have." James muttered the last bit to himself as he stood up and left the Great Hall.  
  
"Hey!" Lily called after him.  
  
"Leave it, Lils. He's just as disappointed in Sirius as you are." Remus stopped Lily from going after James.  
  
"Poor Bella." Jessabelle sighed, "Let's go find her and go shopping. It is a Hogsmeade weekend after all." Lily and Jessabelle stood up.  
  
"You'll explain to Peter and James why we can't join you guys at Hogsmeade, Remus?" Lily said sarcastically as they left. Remus put his head in his hands.  
  
"This is why you never date your friends." He sighed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I can't believe that little asshole! How could he do this? Stupid, stupid." Arabella was pacing around the girl's room in anger; Jessabelle and Lily were perched on the end of her bed. "I'M SO STUPID!"  
  
"You're not, Bella! HE is." Lily corrected her.  
  
"But I fell for him. URGH!!" She yelled in frustration. "And then to have the nerve to try and apologise. As IF I'd take him back!!!"  
  
"So I guess that's a no for shopping?" Jessabelle muttered to Lily.  
  
"Shopping?" Arabella stopped pacing. "You guys are going shopping? How did I not know about this?"  
  
"Uhh...It's a Hogsmeade weekend Bella.....remember?" Lily asked cautiously.  
  
"That's right. Well what are you waiting for? We'll miss the first carriages! Let's go, let's go!" Lily exchanged a confused look with Jessabelle as they followed Arabella out of their dorm.  
  
"Should I take her Valentine's Day cards with us?" Jessabelle whispered to Lily as they ran down the stairs leading to the common room.  
  
"Have you got them?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"May as well...we can laugh at them over lunch." Lily shrugged.  
  
~*~  
  
"Should I give them to her?" The three girls were sitting around a table at The Three Broomsticks when Jessabelle asked Lily about the cards again.  
  
"Give what to her?" Arabella said looking suspiciously at Jessabelle.  
  
"Go on then." Lily sighed. Jessabelle handed Arabella a group of cards.  
  
"My Valentine's cards?" Arabella laughed. "Oh dear. Who is it this year?"  
  
"Oh, gosh, like, everyone, like, loves me." Lily giggled in a fake voice.  
  
"Shutup Lily. You know she didn't mean it like that." Jessabelle admonished her.  
  
"Says who?" Arabella raised an eyebrow at Jessabelle then started laughing, the other girls joining in. "Oh, this one's really sweet." Arabella was leafing through the pack.  
  
"Who's it from?" Lily peered over her shoulder.  
  
"Marcus can't-say-his-last-name. Sixth year, Ravenclaw."  
  
"Going for younger guys now?" Jessabelle asked cheekily.  
  
"You know Bella. She likes to corrupt them early." Lily grinned but received no response from Arabella. She had gone extremely silent.  
  
"Here's one from Sirius." Arabella said after a while. She threw the card at Lily who was glaring at Jessabelle.  
  
"You didn't take his out of there?" Lily was still glaring at Jessabelle.  
  
"Whoops."  
  
"Oh, Bella." Lily had finished reading the card and she handed it to Jessabelle to read.  
  
"I'm not feeling well. Can we get out of here? It's really stuffy." Arabella ran from the table and out of The Three Broomsticks. The two girls quickly followed her.  
  
"Bella." Lily walked over to Arabella who was leaning over looking like she was going to throw up.  
  
"I'm going to throw up." She said panting.  
  
"Don't let him get to you like this, Bella." Arabella collapsed onto the ground. "He just proved that he isn't worth it!" Lily sat down next to her.  
  
"But he is worth it! You read the card. How could he write that then go and do something like he did? It's not fair!!" Arabella wailed, getting a few strange looks from passer-bys.  
  
"Let's go back to Hogwarts. You're confused and plus you don't look too good." Lily said getting up.  
  
"I don't feel too good." But Arabella still got up and walked back to the carriages with the two girls. Jessabelle had thrown the card out behind her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Doesn't look like someone liked their card very much." Peter bent down and picked up the card on the ground. "Listen to this. To my gorgeous Belle-"  
  
"Wormtail." James warned him, looking at Sirius who was getting paler by the second. Peter continued on almost spitefully.  
  
"I wish I could say this to your face but I love you. There's no one else for me. Happy Valentine's Day, beautiful. Love, Sirius." Peter looked up at Sirius. "Oops. Sorry Padfoot."  
  
"Stuff it." Sirius stormed away from them and they didn't see him again until the next morning, looking extremely sorry for himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note: You are speaking to a thoroughly pissed off meg. My bloody computer deleted over ¾ of work that I had done and I had to redo it again which is probably why crummy. But yeah, ya get that.I was working on the oldest computer in history but I'm on a different one now *pats the screen* good pooter *cough* Anyhoo.It's turning into a soapie really quickly!! The last bit, the note from Sirius, was dripping with sap.oo does anyone watch The Bold and the Beautiful?  
  
Amber: I'm having my sister's, brother's, cousin's, uncle's, son-in-law's child!  
  
Bridget: (gasping) You mean you're having your husband's baby??  
  
Amber: (thinking for a while) Yes!  
  
Bridget: Oh No! What are you going to do?  
  
Amber: I don't know. But I know this. I'm having this baby whether I have to live in a cardboard box in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. (Stares off into the distance blinking furiously and wiggling her eyebrows.)  
  
A/N: Have you ever tried that? It's extremely hard to do...ANYWAYS!!!!! I've got a few too many screws loose upstairs.they keep falling too.On to the thankyous!!!! And sumfin stuffed up at fanfic and I didn't get emailed all my reviews but I saw them anyways!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!  
  
Thankyous To:  
  
old-soul: Thankyou! I'm glad you like it and you took the time to review!!  
  
Kat: If you think my fic's cool then you just hafta be cool yourself! Thankyou!!  
  
sirius' lover: Not as long as it was going to be originally but yeh.hang in there!  
  
lily elizabeth evans: Thankyou so much!  
  
*SxYgReeNEydROse: Thankyou! I hope you get better.I'm on holidays at the moment!! No school for me!! Yay! Sorry I'm not teasing..okay well I am but *grins* I love long reviews and I'm just as crazy as you so don't worry!!! Thanks again!  
  
Hazelmist: Remus is always pegged as the shy/reserved/brainy one so I decided to make them all cheeky little devils and then they all have their mature/serious side.bit conflicting but yeh! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
6 reviews! The most for any chapter.I think..cept for the first chapter which got 8 for some reason *looks confused* Keep Reviewing! It's my oxygen!  
  
meg 


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: Nutin's mine! Cept an odd character here or there *grins*  
  
Author's Note: Sorry guys, just a quick note before you read. DON'T HATE POOR SIRIUS! And also cos word deleted a whole bit last chapter I forgot to add in that Nasties=NEWTS. But I think you probably figured and if not then it's my fault!!! Please continue....and then review!!!!!!  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
The news spread like wildfire through Hogwarts. Sirius and Arabella had broken up! Dozens of rumours had sprung up, each more ridiculous than the last even though half the school had been present when the "Perfect Couple" split up. Much to Sirius and Arabella's relief, the Valentine's Card professing Sirius's love was not known to many in the school and the Marauder's were hardly ever seen together with the three seventh year Gryffindors.  
  
"It worked! His plan worked!" A tall, stocky boy exclaimed as Lily, Arabella and Jessabelle passed by them, minus the Marauders.  
  
"Of course it worked, Avery, you fool. Our Lord's intelligence exceeds even that Mudblood Evans's." drawled a voice from behind the boy. Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape had joined the boy who was watching the three girls.  
  
"Considering her heritage, as you yourself mentioned Malfoy, it shouldn't be extremely difficult to exceed Evans's intelligence. Or were you merely paying her a compliment?" Severus sneered at Lucius.  
  
"You know as well as I do, Snape," Lucius spat, flushing at Severus's words, "That our Master needs her for her intelligence."  
  
"That which you lack." He replied scathingly.  
  
"How dare you?" Lucius's face was awash with colour now. "I was the one who co-ordinated this whole plan to break up Black and Figg!"  
  
"But without Lord Voldemort, you would be no where."  
  
"How kind of you to point out, Snape. And how true as well. I am a living example of what our Lord does for his loyal followers. "  
  
"And how brave of you to announce for the whole school just how loyal you are. Perhaps you should be in Gryffindor? Or Hufflepuff, as it is also extremely stupid and foolish to advertise yourself so publicly." With this Snape stormed off to his next class leaving a seething Malfoy and an amused Avery behind.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"We have to get them to patch things up. Just to be friends, Merlin knows they aren't going to go back to being in a relationship." Jessabella sighed. Lily, Remus and herself were sitting in a corner of the common room, near the dorm stairs talking about the current situation.  
  
"But if I was Bella, I would be out for blood. There would be no way I would talk to Sirius again let alone be friends with him." Lily protested.  
  
"Yes, but Lily," Remus started to reason with her, "You're stubborn and very unforgiving at times. But we love you for it," Remus added hastily seeing her expression, "Bloody hell. My point is that both of them are miserable-"  
  
"Good! I mean in Sirius's case." Lily interrupted.  
  
"And maybe if they're friends again they might start to cheer up. Things could get back to normal. Merlin, it's been almost a month." Remus ignored Lily's outburst.  
  
"You're right, Remus." Jessabelle shot Lily a look, "And Bella's been miserable. I wish this thing hadn't of happened!" She said getting frustrated.  
  
"Okay so we're agreeing on three things?" Lily asked them.  
  
"What?" Remus sighed.  
  
"Sirius is a bastard, they're both depressed and they need to be friend's again." Lily listed the things off on her fingers.  
  
"Correct." Jessabelle nodded.  
  
"Except for the first point. Something isn't right about it all. Don't get me wrong," Remus held his hands up in surrender at the girl's indignant expressions, "What Sirius did wasn't acceptable, but it's all a little weird." Remus had a confused look on his face.  
  
"It's surreal. Hard to believe but," Lily paused, and then sighed. "Let's stop talking about this. It's making me depressed as well." Lily got up and waited for Remus and Jessabelle to do the same.  
  
"Lets go for a walk. It shouldn't be too cold outside." Jessabelle said as they headed for the portrait.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
'Just to be friends, Merlin knows they aren't going to go back to being in a relationship.' Jessabelle's words were running around Arabella's head as she sat on the stairs listening to her friends talk. At first she was really hurt that her best friends were talking about her behind her back but she was glad to know that they were just as mad at Sirius as she was.  
  
She sighed to herself, "You're not mad, just extremely....miserable." She muttered to herself as she watched Remus, Jessabelle and Lily walk out of the common room.  
  
"Arabella." a voice from behind her cut into her thoughts. She turned her head around to see who it was. Sirius was standing behind her, "Can I talk to you....please?" She was about to answer no when Jessabelle's words rang in her head 'just be friends.'  
  
"Alright." She stood up and followed Sirius back to his dorm.  
  
Sirius shut the door behind her as she stood looking extremely uncomfortable in the middle of the room.  
  
"I know apologising isn't going to stop you from being angry at me and it's not going to change what happened, but I'm sorry. Really, really sorry. I don't know what happened. I had to get James to explain it to me in fact." Sirius started.  
  
"I'm not angry, Sirius. Just hurt." Arabella looked down at the floor, just missing Sirius expression. His heart was breaking and it was showing as plain as day in his eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry." He whispered again.  
  
"It doesn't matter, like you said, it won't change what happened." She laughed without humour. "The only reason I'm talking to you is because I don't like what this it doing to our friends."  
  
"You were listening to Jess, Lily and Remus." It was more of a statement than a question.  
  
"How long were you behind me?" She asked Sirius before changing her mind. "Never mind. So can we go back to being friends then?"  
  
"Of course." Sirius said quietly.  
  
"I'll see you at dinner then." Arabella walked passed him and out of the door. Sirius walked over to his bed and collapsed face down muttering into his pillow.  
  
"I always thought you were crazy Padfoot. Was that Bella I saw just exiting OUR dorm? And is she the reason you're muttering into your pillow?" Remus came into the dorm shortly after Bella left.  
  
"I thought you were going for a walk?" Sirius looked accusingly at Remus.  
  
"Eavesdropping now? We did get outside but it was freakin' cold. Bloody Jess, all her fault. So spill. What little drama unfolded while I was outside freezing my-"  
  
"Nothing. And you're getting much to nosey for your own good." Remus snorted at this. "Alright!" Sirius could see an onslaught coming from Remus so he took the easy option, spilling. "We agreed to be friends."  
  
"Hallelujah!" Remus shouted.  
  
"Don't get too excited. We did it for your sake."  
  
"Mine?" Remus looked confused.  
  
"Yes, the entire world revolves around you-"  
  
"I had my suspicions."  
  
"MOONY! No, for everyone."  
  
"Everyone? Now who thinks the world revolves around him?"  
  
"Stop it before I come over there and make you. We did it so that we could go back to being friends with everyone." Sirius was getting annoyed at Remus.  
  
"So you two had sex so you could be friends. Isn't that usually what 'it' means?"  
  
"I'm going to strangle you." Sirius cried as he rushed over to the slightly smaller boy and pinned him against the wall, his hands around his throat.  
  
"You are way to easy, Sirius." Remus grinned. Sirius let him go and collapsed onto his bed again. "So, why so glum, chum?" Remus sat on the bed next to Sirius's one. "You're friends again. Maybe she'll forgive you some day and then everyone will be happy!"  
  
"I don't know Moony. It's just so strange. I only remember Belle running from the hall and everyone else staring at me. And for some reason Lily, who was practically glowing in repressed anger. That girl needs some release."  
  
"Have you told Bella that you don't remember what happened?"  
  
"Kinda. But I do know what happened, Prongs explained it to me."  
  
"We'll get to the bottom of it, Padfoot. By the way, where is Prongs?" Remus asked.  
  
"He said something about Quidditch training."  
  
"Mmm hmm...and Padfoot?"  
  
"Yah?" Sirius looked at Remus expectantly.  
  
"Aren't you ON the Quidditch team?" He asked Sirius like you would prompt a child into giving you their age. Sirius jumped up from the bed.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"Shit is right my friend. Get your arse into gear and go and practise."  
  
"Didn't know you were thinking about my arse Moony."  
  
"Oh, all the time, Padfoot." Remus said sarcastically.  
  
"MOONY BATS FOR THE OTHER TEAM!!" Sirius ran out of the dorm yelling this at the top of his lungs. Luckily most of the students hadn't a clue what he was saying.  
  
~*~  
  
While Remus and Sirius were talking, the girls were having much the same discussion. Lily and Jessabelle were jumping around the room in circles squealing and only stopped when they heard Sirius yelling as he ran out of the common room. The girls ran into the boys' dorm to find Remus shaking his head.  
  
"Remus? Your gay?" Lily asked him in disbelief.  
  
"He's what? YOUR GAY?" Jessabelle cried. Remus just chuckled to himself.  
  
"No Jess, Lily, I'm not gay. Padfoot is just....crazy."  
  
"Did you hear the happy news, Remus?" Lily asked him.  
  
"Lily..." Arabella warned her.  
  
"Yes! I did. Come on, admit it....I'm brilliant!" Remus gloated.  
  
"Hey! It was my idea!" Jessabelle exclaimed.  
  
"What? What idea?" Arabella lowered her voice menacingly.  
  
"To get you and Sirius back to being friends." Lily said cautiously.  
  
"And how did you know both of us would be listening?" Arabella demanded.  
  
"Actually only one of you was needed, both was a bonus."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Honestly Bella," Lily sighed, "Do you really think we would be daft enough to have a private conversation RIGHT near the dorm stairs if we didn't want anyone to hear?"  
  
"How did you know I was there then?" Arabella asked in defeat.  
  
"Remus has extra-sensitive hearing." Jessabelle explained.  
  
"And smell....but that isn't always good. Especially in this room." Remus joked.  
  
"You're right. What the hell is that smell?" Lily wrinkled up her nose.  
  
Remus shrugged, "You can explore if you want, but it's probably something rotting in Peter's trunk."  
  
"We'll pass. Let's go back to the common room. Are you coming, Remus?" Jessabelle inquired.  
  
"Yep. Lead on." The group exited the common room and a rat ran out from under Sirius's bed.  
  
Peter transformed back to his human form. "Master, will not be happy to hear of this." He muttered to himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note Numero Due: Well I hadn't planned on writing today but it was calling to me so I thought, why not? And I think my story is actually developing a plot.or a semi-one. And once again, DON'T HATE SIRIUS!!! All will be revealed if you stick with me. I didn't plan on this story being long so it's only going to have 4 or 5 chapters more. It's already longer then I had planned in the beginning so I hope you guys are enjoying it!  
  
Thankyou Time!!!  
  
sirius' lover: I know.but what, there's more!!!  
  
Scalene Tristy: Umm.thanks I guess *grins* What does your pen name mean by the way?  
  
weasley-kid: Thanks!! But don't hate Sirius just yet...(mysterious music plays) *laughs*  
  
Jlee: You're back! Lol.I felt really bad writing chapter 6.poor Sirius!!!  
  
Thanks ppls!!!!  
  
meg 


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: Everything is owned by someone else ~_~ and the song Ol' Time Rock and Roll belongs to The Beatles...I think..  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
"So?"  
  
"There's been no word from Him, Avery, just like two hours ago when you asked me the same thing." Lucius Malfoy was sitting in front of the Slytherin's common room fire when Avery posed his question.  
  
"I know that, Malfoy. What I meant was, if you had been listening to a single word I said, should we do something on our own accord? It has been a almost a month and a half since he sent word to congratulate us."  
  
"You sound like an angry wife, Avery." Snape said coming up behind them. "Is there something you two need to confess.... hmm?"  
  
"Very amusing, Snape. Perhaps you should become a comedian?" Malfoy sneered at him. "A Muggle profession would suit you."  
  
"And where did you learn all about Muggle professions, Malfoy? You really do have a confession to make." Snape leaned forward as if waiting to hear a secret.  
  
"If you weren't loyal to our Lord then you would have to watch your back, Snape." Malfoy warned him.  
  
"Then I guess I'm safe."  
  
"Could you two cut it out for maybe, I dunno, a minute or something? I need to talk." Avery interjected before Malfoy could manage a comeback. Snape just looked at Avery in amusement. "What?" Avery looked at Snape.  
  
"Nothing..... Please continue." Snape was quietly chuckling to himself, Avery did sound like a girl sometimes.  
  
"I think we should do something, rumours or something like that. We need to break up those stupid Gryffindors." Avery punched the couch for emphasis.  
  
"No." Snape had stopped laughing. "Nothing until Voldermort condones it."  
  
"Can't think for yourself now, Snape?" Malfoy said scathingly.  
  
"I just think that there would be a reason why He hasn't contacted yet. Maybe He has a different plan."  
  
"Snape's right, Avery. Besides things are not nearly as chummy," Malfoy spat out this word, "between the Seventh Year Gryffindors as it once was."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It had been two and a half months since Arabella and Sirius had broken up. Malfoy was right, things weren't nearly as 'chummy' as they once were if only for the fact that Sirius and Arabella weren't in each other's arms 24/7. But no one in the group was complaining, they were all just glad to go back to being friends.  
  
"Just take those old records off the shelf, I sit and listen to 'em by myself." Sirius jumped up and mimed a microphone as he started singing in the middle of the common room. (A/N: Think Tom Cruise, Risky Business...hahah had me laughing as I typed this.) "Today's music ain't got the same soul! I like that old time rock and roll!"  
  
"Sirius! Sit down!" Lily jumped and pulled him down, making him land on top of her.  
  
"Well! Lily dear! I had no idea you fancied me!" Everyone laughed as Lily tried to get him off of her. "I'd imagine James would be extremely jealous." He whispered into her ear.  
  
"Yeah, just as I'm sure Bella is." She growled.  
  
"Touché pussycat." He got off of her, "Sorry for squishing you, my lady." He said resuming his normal voice. Lily just snorted at him.  
  
"Not quite a lady is she Padfoot?" Remus chimed in.  
  
"Remus!" Lily reached over and hit him, "That was mean!"  
  
"Precisely why I said it, my dear." This caused Jessabelle and Lily to both start hitting him. "Help! I'm under attack. Where are all your friends when you need them?"  
  
"Friends?" James snorted, "You have none!"  
  
"Thanks Prongs." Remus had managed to grab the girls' hands and prevent them from hitting him. "Be nice now girls." He said looking at them seriously.  
  
"Why? You're not." Lily quipped.  
  
"Lily." He looked at her sternly. Lily fell quiet.  
  
"You should be a teacher, Remus. You manage to render Lily silent by just saying her name." Arabella joked.  
  
"Oh yeah," Remus said sarcastically, letting go of the girls who sat down again, "I could teach them all about werewolves, what with all my extensive knowledge and experience."  
  
"Remus, don't be like that." Jessabelle said quietly.  
  
"Sorry." He smiled apologetically at Jessabelle. "New subject!"  
  
The group continued talking into the night, only stopping to say goodnight to Peter when he went to bed early.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"These meetings get really annoying, really quickly." James said as he and Lily made their way to the anteroom off the Great Hall for a prefect meeting.  
  
"Yes, but we haven't had nearly as many this year as we had in our sixth year. Besides, how would it look if the Head Boy didn't turn up, especially as we're the ones who call these meetings?" Lily reasoned.  
  
"Would I get another lecture like I had near the end of last year?" He asked raising his eyebrows innocently as they entered the Great Hall.  
  
"Yes you would so-"  
  
"In that case." James turned around and started to walk off.  
  
"James!" Lily grabbed his arm and had to drag him into the Anteroom. "Honestly, you are the biggest baby sometimes. Oh....Good.....Everybody's here." Lily stammered as every eye turned to stare at James and her.  
  
"Evening all." James tipped an imaginary hat to all the prefects gathered in the room. He pulled out a chair for Lily and waited until she had sat down before turning and making for the door.  
  
"Stop. Turn. Sit." Lily waited for James to obey her as everyone looked on in amusement, minus some of the Slytherins. "Okay, so what's the goss?" Lily looked at the prefects.  
  
~*~  
  
"Good. Thankyou everyone for turning up. It makes it a lot easier and we don't have to have so many of these meetings." Lily kicked James under the table whose head was drooping. "And I'm sure you're all thankful to your Head Boy for his marvellous input." She finished dryly as the prefects filed out chuckling.  
  
"Funny Evans."  
  
"The truth Potter." Lily grinned at him and James stuck his tongue out at her.  
  
"Come on. Let's get out of here." James stood up preparing to go.  
  
"Evans, a word?" Snape stood up from his seat.  
  
"Oh, Severus, I thought you had left?" Lily said looking surprised.  
  
"You can have a word, Snape. No. Now buggar off." James moved closer to Lily as if to protect her.  
  
"James, it's okay. I'll catch you up, alright?"  
  
"I'll wait outside." James scowled at Snape as he walked out the room. As much as he wanted to stop them talking, he didn't want to bring Lily's wrath upon himself. James knew first hand what her temper was capable of.  
  
Lily closed the door after James had left. "What is it Severus?" But Snape wasn't listening; he was muttering something under his breath. All of a sudden the people in the portraits surrounding the room vanished. "Severus?"  
  
"Don't worry, they'll come back in a minute. What I needed to tell you..... well I just hope I can trust you."  
  
"Of course you can. What is it?" Lily said frowning.  
  
"There was a spell put on Black-"  
  
"What?" Lily cried.  
  
"Just listen, Lily." Snape said urgently. "A spell that made his conscience distorted for a small amount of time. On Valentine's Day." He waited for the penny to drop. It didn't take long and Lily's eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
"But what about-"  
  
"The girl? She was under the Imperious Curse." Snape said gravely.  
  
"But that's illegal!" Lily yelled in outrage.  
  
"Do you think that matters to the Dark Lord? Or his followers?"  
  
"But how do you know this? Why are you telling me..... unless you're one of them!" Lily took an involuntary step towards the door. "Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"Because he wants to separate your group."  
  
"But why would you care? How do I know this isn't just another plan?"  
  
"Please, Lily. You said I could trust you. You have to trust me!" Snape said a hint of urgency in his voice. The portraits would be returning soon.  
  
"Enough!" James burst through the door, "You slimy git. You did this to my friends?"  
  
"James shutup!" Lily rushed around him and shut the door again. "You're putting your life on the line by telling us this aren't you?" She turned to Snape.  
  
"More or less." He said, eyeing James warily.  
  
"Why does he want to separate us?" Lily was getting scared with all Snape was telling her.  
  
"I'm not sure. It's part of some bigger plan." What Snape didn't mention was that the plan revolved around Lily.  
  
"Why are you putting your life on the line for us?" James asked suspiciously.  
  
"You live a sheltered life Potter, despite what happened to your family. What I've seen, what I've witnessed-" Snape stopped as a whooshing sound surrounded the three. "I have to go. Please-" He looked at Lily almost helplessly.  
  
"We won't say a word, Severus. Thankyou." Lily promised. Snape nodded then swept past her and out the door just as some extremely annoyed paintings of people returned to their portraits.  
  
"Do you believe him?" James asked Lily.  
  
"Yes. And I think we should tell Bella and Sirius. But we can't tell them that Snape told us. Come on, we're due back at the common room." Lily was looking at the portraits that were eyeing them curiously in turn.  
  
The pair travelled to the Gryffindor Tower in silence, both mulling over what had just happened. They entered an almost empty common room.  
  
"Good meeting?" Sirius asked from the couch he was sprawled on.  
  
"Where's Bella?" Lily replied.  
  
"Gone to bed. Why?" Sirius sat up, curious now.  
  
"Wait until they're together." James muttered to Lily. Aloud he announced he was going to bed.  
  
"Night then." Sirius called after him. Lily collapsed into a chair opposite Sirius. "Trouble in paradise?"  
  
Lily looked at him curiously, "That reminds me, how did you know that song you were singing the other day?"  
  
"Muggle brother-in-law. He showed me a heap of C.D.'s after he could control his laughter when I ran away from him."  
  
"Huh? Why'd you run away from him?"  
  
"He pointed the remote control at me. You have no idea how scary that was!" He said in his defence as Lily laughed at him. "But in all seriousness," He grinned at his own joke, "What's up with you and Jamesie?"  
  
"Are you up for a girly chat then?" Lily looked at him, wondering at his sanity.  
  
"Yep, spill the beans girl." Sirius settled himself on his couch as Lily rolled off of hers and onto the ground.  
  
"What do you want to know? Tell a soul and you won't be so popular with the ladies if you catch my drift."  
  
"You know me better than that Lils. I want to know how you feel for James. Are you in like, lust or love?"  
  
Lily sized him up before answering quietly, "Love." As soon as she said these words a chair toppled over and both Lily and Sirius jumped up.  
  
"No doubt it's Peeves." Sirius said narrowing his eyes at the chair.  
  
"I have some blackmail over Peeves so he wont say a word. Meanwhile, I'm going to bed. Goodnight Sirius."  
  
"Night Lil." Lily left for her dorm and Sirius waited until he was sure she was gone before speaking.  
  
"James, that was low. Even by my standards." Sirius only referred to his friends by their name when he was thoroughly annoyed.  
  
"I didn't mean to overhear." James took off the cloak and sat down, looking white as a sheet.  
  
"Well, you did. What are you going to do about it?"  
  
"I'll think about it."  
  
"You'll think about it? Daft prick." Sirius muttered to himself.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing. Why were you down here with the cloak anyway?"  
  
"I felt like going for a run around the forest. I have a lot on my mind."  
  
"I'll bet... Can I come?" Sirius asked hopefully.  
  
James grinned, "And if I said no?"  
  
"I'd come anyway." Sirius grinned back.  
  
"Let's go then."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note: Okay well the whole things starting to unravel (do do do do do do do do..Twilight Theme) yep.well I woulda had this up sooner but I woke up this morning and saw how pale I was and I just had to go and bake in the sun..as a result I'm burnt and very sore...not very smart but anyway..  
  
everyone's said that there isn't much (if any) Lily-James action in this and it's true.there isn't but there will be I promise! And there was a little bit in this one but just wait for the next chapter! It's a doozy...I just have to write it first...One of the reasons why this is so random is cos I write it then post it.. I have no plan what so ever and everything that makes sense is just co-incidence!!!!  
  
Thankyou to all my reviewers! I reached over 30!!! And I got 7 reviews for the last chapter!!! So it's a long thankyou list!!!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!  
  
Thanks To:  
  
bav: dun worry I was planning on it!!! But don't tell anyone!! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Jlee: ~_~ Is all revealed? (I love the Twilight Theme so I'm gonna put it here again..) do do do do do do do do  
  
Oliverwoodschic: Yes!!!! And it'll happen soon don't worry!  
  
you-know-who's-lover: I dunno..he just kinda vanished.oops!  
  
Clearbrook: Thankyou!  
  
Why R u lookin' at my Nick?: Are you serious? Macy's alive??? Or are you just yanking my chain..lol.anyways, it's my first fic and so I'm just looking straight ahead..I completely forgot about a heap of stuff..And poor Hagrid's one of them.I'll see if I can add him in.loophole! As for the tense love and passion. uhh.maybe later.  
  
Frankie: Run! Gingerbread man! Go!! And yeh Pete's a traitor but Voldie's scary. I don't know if I could stand up to him and tell him to stick his dark mark up his arse. ohhh that would smart.. ~_~  
  
#####  
  
Thanks ppls!!!  
  
meg 


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: I don't own anythi-ing, I don't own anythi-ing. Cha cha cha cha cha cha, cha cha cha cha cha cha.  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
"Hey Sirius. Who are you waiting for?" Lily came down the next morning to find Sirius sitting in a chair looking worried.  
  
"You actually Lils. Umm..... come on, let's head down to breakfast." Sirius stood up and Lily followed him out of the common room.  
  
"What's up my man?" Lily was in a very good mood.  
  
"Last night. It wasn't Peeves." Sirius said in a rush.  
  
Lily stopped walking, "What was it then, better yet, WHO was it?" She asked in a low voice, "You caught them, right? They're not going to say anything? Sirius?" Lily started to get frantic, "James can't know!"  
  
"Then you won't want to hear who it was."  
  
"No." She whispered, "It was James. How? Shit Sirius!"  
  
Sirius shrugged, "I dunno." Lily was too preoccupied to push the how question, she was busy wringing her hands.  
  
"What did he say? No, I don't want to know. Things are going to be so weird now."  
  
"Let's just go down to breakfast." Sirius tried to reason with her.  
  
"Okay, he's not down there is he?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Lily snorted, "Yah, you two only spend every waking minute together. And sleep together." Lily started laughing hysterically.  
  
"Lils, are you feeling alright?" Sirius eyed her in concern.  
  
"Nope!" She chirped, "Let's go!" Lily slung her arm through his and dragged him skipping to the Great Hall.  
  
"You've gone mental. Off to St. Mungo's for you."  
  
Sirius and Lily came skipping into the Hall much to the amusement of the Head Table, namely Dumbledore and Hagrid.  
  
"Hagrid you're back!" Lily shouted over the students who suddenly went quiet, "Whoops!"  
  
"Come on Lily, let's go sit down." This time it was Sirius who had to drag Lily.  
  
"I just keep making a fool of myself don't I Sirius?" The two sat down with the remaining members of Seventh Year at their house table.  
  
"We were wondering where you two got to. We just got told History of Magic is cancelled for this morning. Something to do with ghosts and paintings being summoned last night. Weird." Jessabelle told them. James looked at Lily who wouldn't meet his eyes.  
  
"Thankyou Merlin!" Sirius shouted up towards the roof.  
  
"Thought you'd be happy Sirius." Remus grinned, "This means we have some extra time to work on our end of year prank. This one needs to be big too."  
  
"We only have two months to prepare! Well it obviously has to be at the Graduation Ball." Sirius replied, the wheels already turning in his head.  
  
"Leave the poor Slytherins alone you four. They don't want their Grad Ball ruined, and neither do we." Arabella tried to reason with them.  
  
"Who said it's just going to be the Slytherins?" James said, getting a mad glint in his eyes. "I say we get the teachers as well."  
  
"Good one Prongs." Peter said half-heartedly.  
  
"To the common room and beyond!" Sirius cried standing up.  
  
"Honestly, Sirius, are you sure you don't need medication?" Jessabelle asked him, standing up as well. "If we help, will you make sure the prank doesn't affect us?"  
  
"Who said we'd let you help?" Remus replied.  
  
"Oooo, you asked for it Remus!" Arabella warned him. Jessabelle began to pout and her eyes began to water.  
  
"ALRIGHT!!!! Alright you can help!" Remus covered his eyes trying not to look at Jessabelle.  
  
"Absolutely no will-power Moony. Shameful." Sirius slapped Remus on the back as he walked past him. The rest of the group followed him.  
  
"Prongs," Sirius muttered to James as they neared the common room, "You need to talk to Lily. I say get it over and done with now."  
  
James sighed, "Alright." He fell back to where Lily was walking with Arabella. "Lils, a word?" He cringed as he realised he sounded like Snape did not twelve hours ago.  
  
"I'll see you in a minute, Bella." Lily told Arabella.  
  
"'Kay. Have fun you two." She winked as she caught up to Remus and Jessabelle.  
  
"Let's go in here." James pointed to a room a few steps in front of them. The both entered the empty room and stood awkwardly. James cleared his throat, "Uhh....."  
  
"I know you heard last night, James. I suppose that's what you want to talk about?" Lily's voice wavered much to her horror. She didn't want to sound like she was close to tears.  
  
"Um, yeh. I don't want to hurt your feelings Lils. In fact, you're the last person I want to hurt. But I..." He paused, looking down at the floor.  
  
"What James?" Lily said doubtfully.  
  
"I don't feel the same way about you. I'm sorry." James looked up at her.  
  
"It's okay." She tried to smile, "Totally understandable."  
  
James looked more than relieved to hear her say that, "Uh, we still have to tell Bella and Sirius what happened last night. I mean, what happened with Snape."  
  
"Okay, we'll tell them as soon as we go back to the common room. But remember not to mention Snape. We'll say we overheard someone speaking but we didn't catch who it was." Lily started to walk past James and out of the room.  
  
"Lily," James grabbed her arm, "Are you sure you're okay with this."  
  
"Mm hmm.." She nodded not looking at him. James let her go knowing that she was lying now. "We better go. Don't want the others thinking anything." She said walking out of the room.  
  
"Shit. I hurt her." James muttered to himself as he followed her to the common room. When Lily and James entered the common room, Sirius bounded over to them.  
  
"I'll go get Bella." Lily said quietly, walking over to her. James followed her with his eyes, looking really guilty.  
  
"What did you say?" Sirius growled at him. James rubbed the back of his neck absently, and then looked at Sirius. "Stuff it, I don't want to know. You make me so angry sometimes I want to hit you. You're the biggest prat in the world." Sirius finished as Arabella came over.  
  
"We'll go to our dorm, I don't think I want to visit your dorm again." Lily said looking at Sirius.  
  
"What's this all about?" Sirius asked as they walked to the girls' dorm. "And why are we leaving Moony, Wormtail and Jess in the common room?"  
  
"We figured you wanted to hear this kinda in private." James answered.  
  
"I don't like where this is going." Arabella walked through the door leading to her dorm. Lily shut it after they were all in the room.  
  
"You might want to sit down." And Lily proceeded to tell them what had actually happened on Valentine's Day with James adding parts of it in. "So, yeah. It was just a plan to break us all up." She finished. Arabella and Sirius just sat there with their mouths open staring at Lily and James.  
  
Sirius was the first to get his voice back, "They set us up? Wait, who's they?"  
  
"We don't know. Before we could find out they managed to get away." James replied waiting for a reaction. They both bought it.  
  
"That's horrible! I mean to put all of us through that!" Arabella said in outrage.  
  
Lily was smiling at her, "You were miserable."  
  
"As was Padfoot." James added. Both Sirius and Arabella turned bright red.  
  
"Oh, screw you guys!" Arabella said to Lily and James as she launched herself on Sirius.  
  
"I think that's our cue to leave." James said to Lily as Arabella and Sirius got into a heated snogging scene. "That should be censored or something." Lily didn't answer him as she walked out of them room. James followed her sighing.  
  
"Well, it looks like Hogwart's Perfect Couple are back together!" Lily announced as she walked back into the common room with James following her.  
  
"What? How come?" Jessabelle and Remus asked. Peter just sat there looking terrified. James explained what they had 'overheard' last night.  
  
"That's great! No more miserable people!" Remus exclaimed.  
  
"Hmm....Lils do you feel like going for a walk?" Jessabelle asked her, noticing she wasn't looking as happy as she should have. Lily nodded and the two walked out of the common room.  
  
"What did you do Prongs?" Remus was glaring at James when the two had left.  
  
"Nothing." James replied.  
  
"Then why are you still staring at the portrait? And why was Lily looking so upset?"  
  
"She looked upset?" James asked.  
  
"Lily looked like she'd just been told Christmas was cancelled. At the age of 5."  
  
"Shit. This is going to be a long two months."  
  
"What did you do James?" Remus lowered his voice.  
  
"I told her I didn't feel the same way about her as she felt for me." James said looking bleakly at Remus.  
  
"And is that the way you actually feel?"  
  
James furrowed his eyebrows, "Yes, what kind of question is that?" James sighed, "The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her."  
  
"Perhaps that's why you told her what you did." Remus suggested.  
  
"What are you on about, Moony? Ugh, enough of this, I think I might go flying."  
  
"You can't Prongs." Peter piped up. "We have Charms."  
  
"I thought we had double History?"  
  
"Nope!" Peter said cheerfully, missing the glare James sent him.  
  
"Thanks Wormtail."  
  
"No problem!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note: My kitten would like to say hi.. hyfvhfcfd nhghui. Hehehe I made him type that.Anyway, onto the actual author's note... Sorry thid chapter's so short but I wanted to save the rest for chapter 10. I also ran out of interesting things to say..lol.anyway, Bella and Sirius are back together!!! Hip hip hooray!!! And I know Hagrid kinda appeared from no where.just ignore that!! Maybe he went away some where? Lol, I'm hopeless.  
  
And there's some tension!!! Well kinda! Anyway on to the thankyou's as I can't remember what I wanted to say!  
  
Jlee: I know! And I haven't a clue where it's all coming from!  
  
Goggle Boy: She doesn't want Remus degrading himself. They all know he's a werewolf, sorry for not making it clearer!  
  
Young Golden Unicorn: Thanks!  
  
Clearbrook: Thanks! And I'm trying to finish this before I go away on Sunday which is why I'm updating so much!!  
  
buggy-such: Thanks! And I don't care how much you review just so long as you do...lots!!!! lol just kidding!  
  
Oliverwoodschic: Thankyou!!  
  
~~~  
  
You guys totally rock!!  
  
meg  
  
P.s. If any of you guys have a good idea about a prank I could use, tell me!! You'll get full credit for it don't worry! 


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: I own nothing..I even take quotes and the like from movies or books I've seen/read!!!  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
The Graduation Ball was less than a month away. Which also meant that everyone's exams were in two weeks. Everyone was extremely panicked, including the Marauders much to Sirius's annoyance.  
  
"Come on guys! It's just exams!" Sirius cried in frustration. Remus, James and Peter were hunched over books, parchment, assignments, and notes, anything that could help them.  
  
"Padfoot, you git," James looked up at him, "You realise this is the rest of our lives here? How much we put in these next two weeks could shape our future."  
  
"There's the Head Boy that has been mysteriously absent all our lives!" Arabella sat down next to Sirius, her head also in a book. "Dumbledore isn't the crazy ol' fool we thought him to be!"  
  
"Right. Time to shut up now." Remus popped his head up and grinned at them all.  
  
"James," Lily came in from the portrait, "Dumbledore needs to see us in his office." She walked out again and everyone turned to James.  
  
"Don't want to hear it." He ordered, following Lily out of the common room.  
  
~*~  
  
"What did you want to see us about, Sir?" Despite Lily having a head start on James, he had managed to get to the Headmasters office at the same time.  
  
"Take a seat." Dumbledore invited them in. "Now I understand that exams are very near," The Headmaster started as James and Lily sat down, "But you two aren't the Head students for no reason. Each year we hold the Graduation Ball, and each year it is up to the two Head students to organise it. With the help of the prefects and if necessary, the Professors." Dumbledore paused and waited for his announcement to sink in. "Of course though, it will be much easier this year because the two of you get along marvellously!" Dumbledore chuckled, clearly enjoying their discomfort.  
  
"The Graduation Ball is on the 28th. I hope it is a good one." James and Lily stood up, seeing this as their dismissal.  
  
"Yes, Professor. It will be."  
  
James and Lily walked back to the Gryffindor Tower in silence, both of them acutely aware of the presence of the other.  
  
"We should work out what we're going to do tonight and call a prefect meeting for either tomorrow or Sunday." James broke the silence.  
  
"Okay, then." Lily said quietly, "I'll meet you in the common room at eight." They continued to walk in silence.  
  
When the two of them walked into the common room, all eyes turned to them expectantly. Lily walked up to her dorm, quickly followed by Jessabelle and Arabella while the Marauder's crowded around James.  
  
"Lils, what is it?" Arabella asked as Lily flopped face down on top of her bed.  
  
"It's bad!" She whinged, turning around so she was lying on her back, "Dumbledore said that every year the two heads have to organise the Grad. Ball."  
  
"Woold ya like some cheese with that whi-ine?" Jessabelle drawled.  
  
"Not funny Jess." Lily glared at her.  
  
"Come on Lily. You've never complained about something this insignificant before!" Arabella protested.  
  
"How is this insignificant? I practically threw myself at James and he said 'Sorry but you're not my type.' " Lily put on a low voice to imitate James.  
  
"You did not! And he didn't say that. Stop it Lily, everyone knows that James regrets what he said and you just have to rise above it!" Jessabelle said trying to calm Lily down.  
  
"Everyone knows?!?!" Lily yelled.  
  
"No! She didn't mean that. She just means that everyone knows that James wants to go back to being friends with you!" Arabella explained.  
  
"Ugh, this is hopeless." Lily started banging her head on the pillow, "And," Bang "Dumbledore" Bang "Knew" Smack. "Ow! What the hell was that?" Lily sat up looking around confused.  
  
"Come on Lils. You're 17 now. You're the Head Girl. You're one of the smartest witches attending Hogwarts-"  
  
"Yeh, it's not hard!" Lily looked at the other two girls.  
  
"COW!!!" Arabella got a pillow of the nearest bed and started smacking Lily around the head with it.  
  
"Here we were being the nicest friends in the history of friendship and that's how you return it!" Jessabelle started whacking Lily with a pillow as well.  
  
"I'm sorry! It was a joke! I swear!!!" Lily held her hands up to shield her face.  
  
"Don't swear! What kind of example would you set for the other little Hogwartigans?" Arabella reminded Lily.  
  
"Hogwartigans?" Lily and Jessabelle both turned to Arabella who turned red.  
  
"It's Sirius's word!" She tried to defend herself.  
  
"NO! He's rubbing off on you! Jess, what will we do with her?"  
  
"Try and knock some sense into her?" Jessabelle smirked.  
  
"Good idea!" Lily grabbed the pillow off of Arabella and started to hit her with it, followed by an attack from Jessabelle. If you were to ask why there were feathers surrounding every inch of their dorm, they would reply that they didn't know either.  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
"Okay, so it's going to be formal?" James asked Lily. The common room had been too crowded so they had decided to move to the Library.  
  
"It's a Ball, James. Yes it's going to be formal." Lily sighed.  
  
"But wizard-style or muggle-style?" He replied, frowning at her.  
  
"I don't know. How many people would be able to get muggle style formal wear in 3 weeks time?" Lily answered.  
  
"Good point. Why don't we give them a choice? You can come in either one. It just has to be formal."  
  
"Alright." Lily shrugged.  
  
They discussed music, food, drink and the duration of the Ball, each time Lily would make little if any contribution, getting James more and more annoyed with her.  
  
"Look Lily. If we want to get anything done, you need to help! I know I hurt you but that was while ago. Can you please forget it just while we try and work on this?" James begged her.  
  
"What makes you think that you hurt me?" Lily demanded.  
  
"If I hadn't then we would still be friends. Please Lily," James reached over and held one of her hands, "You were one of my best friends, you still are. Can't we go back to that?" Lily looked at him, debating what to do.  
  
"We'll have the prefect meeting tomorrow, in the morning, if it needs to be longer it won't matter as much." Lily stood up and James let go of her hand as she packed her things up and left.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It wasn't until there first exam was the next day that Sirius realised if he wanted to get anywhere in life, he would need to pass his NEWTS. So while everyone was taking a break, Sirius was going over every single note he could get his hands on.  
  
"I'm glad History's our first exam. Urgh, what if it was last! Imagine doing that one on a Friday afternoon while everyone else was out on the school grounds!" Arabella was sitting upside down on an armchair, her feet up in the air.  
  
"We don't have any exams on Friday afternoon, Bella." Lily muttered, flipping through a book.  
  
"Over-saturation, Miss Evans, is not what you want." Remus took the book Lily was looking at away from her. "Charms? Like you need any help with that!"  
  
"Oh screw you." Lily joked.  
  
"Now Lily. We all know that's Jess's job!" Arabella jumped up and ran up to the closest dorm, followed by an extremely red Jessabelle yelling 'I'm going to kill you!!!'  
  
"Moony! Do we want to know what that's about?" James turned to Remus.  
  
"Actually we do. Lily, we're all very interested to know." Remus grinned at her, only the slightest bit of embarrassment shown on his cheeks.  
  
"HELP ME!! SHE'S MAD!!!" Arabella ran into the common room and then out again, with Jessabelle following, holding a weapon of sorts in her hand.  
  
Jessabelle paused in front of them, "None of you are going to miss her at all, are you??" She looked around at all of them, not meeting Remus's eyes. "Good, that's what I thought!" She continued out of the common room again, in pursuit of Arabella.  
  
"I'm not sure, Remus. Why don't you explain it to us?" Lily continued on the conversation from before they were interrupted, grinning back.  
  
"I'm totally clueless-"  
  
"No you're not," Sirius piped in, "James is the clueless one around here." They all went silent, clearly knowing what Sirius was referring to.  
  
"Right, well, I'm going to make sure Bella is still alive." Lily stood and walked out of the room.  
  
"Thanks Padfoot. Nicely done." James muttered, but Sirius didn't hear. He was already engrossed in some new notes he had found.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Your exam starts......now."  
  
"You may begin the exam."  
  
"One slip up could mean the loss of a limb. Good Luck."  
  
"And remember, NO CHEATING!"  
  
~*~  
  
"Quills down."  
  
"Add no more ingredients. If you are not finish, you have failed."  
  
"Wands down!"  
  
"One move, and I will have to fail you."  
  
"QUILLS DOWN!!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"We finished!!! We finished!!! NO MORE SCHOOL!!!!!!" Arabella and Jessabelle were dancing around in circles out by the lake.  
  
"You don't think it's a little sad? Seven years, gone. We've practically lived here for SEVEN years and it's all over!" Lily sat down under a tree near the lake.  
  
"Lils! We have so much time to be depressed!! Be happy now, sad later!!" Arabella pulled her up and they made her jump around with them.  
  
"WHOO HOO!!!! WE MADE IT!" Sirius came running towards the girls with the rest of the Marauder's following behind. He grabbed Arabella round the waist and swung her in circles. Soon they were all jumping, running and hugging each other. Whatever the outcome of the exams, they couldn't take it back now.  
  
(A/N: I was going to end it there but decided not to ^_^ )  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Today, today, today is the day. The day, the day, the day of the Ball--"  
  
"Shutup Bella! Some of us are trying to sleep!" Lily shouted at Arabella who was dancing around the dorm with an imaginary partner.  
  
"Ahh, my dear friend, aren't you supposed to be organising the Ball?" She answered calmly.  
  
"Shit a brick." Lily jumped out of bed and ran around getting ready.  
  
"You're coming back to get ready with us aren't you Lils?" Jessabelle said sleepily from across the room.  
  
"Course I am, Jess. Gotta go. Buh bye!" Lily ran out of the room.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
"Okay, so because dinner is earlier for all the younger students, that gives us an hour to get everything done, if we get it ready now." Lily told the prefects who were sitting in the antechamber (A/N: I think I wrote anteroom in another chap, but yeh its 'sposed to be chamber.) off the Great Hall.  
  
"Um, Lily. The younger students should be finished dinner by six. The ball doesn't start until eight. Doesn't that leave us with two hours?" James asked cautiously.  
  
"I don't know when you plan on getting ready James, or getting to Gryffindor and back, but I'm being logical here. And if we need more time, we have it." She stared at him squarely. The other prefects looked between the two, they had noticed how short Lily was being with James since they had begun working on the Graduation Ball.  
  
"Fair enough." James sighed in defeat. He didn't want to make a scene in front of the other prefects. Besides, he thought, only 3 more days and we won't have to see each other again. James looked at Lily who was giving jobs to the other prefects to do. Knowing that he didn't have to see Lily again after school didn't comfort him as he thought it would. Instead it made him rather depressed. He sighed again before standing up, "What do you want me to do Lily?"  
  
She shrugged, "Whatever you think needs doing James." and then walked off to charm some lights. James ran his hands through his hair. He really needed to settle this before they left Hogwarts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note: On the good ship..lollipop..la da da di da.right, well Fanfic's been down so I couldn't get this up.lol, should only be one more chapter then an epilogue then, wah la! All done.  
  
I'm wondering if I made Lily a bit mean but yeh, I couldn't have her being nice to poor confused James. That would be a bit unrealistic.Anyways, I'm off! Still open to prank ideas if you have any!  
  
Thankyou to:  
  
Truechinook: Poor James is confused! He's confusing his feelings for friendship. #Shhh meg you're giving it away!# Anyway, thanks for the prank idea! I'll try and include it in the story!  
  
Oliverwoodschic: Thanks!  
  
Briseis: He will, but hopefully Lily will be kind enough to forgive him.I haven't decided yet *winks*  
  
buggy-such: Don't worry, I don't have any ideas for a prank either!!!! And I think you did say you liked the story but I never get tired of hearing it!!! Thanks!!  
  
Jlee: lol, thanks! One of the best compliments I've ever received! I only wish I could do that for public speaking *shudders*  
  
You rule, doods!  
  
meg 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer: Nope nothings mine..You Were There by Southern Suns. Don't own that either. Bummer..'tis a good song.  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
"Good work people. Thankyou for your help." Lily said as she watched a 5th year Ravenclaw put the finishing touches on the decorations. "It looks beautiful," she murmured. The younger prefects stayed to make sure nothing happened in the Great Hall while the 7th years were getting ready.  
  
"Lily! Quickly!" Arabella pulled Lily into their dorm. "We don't have much time to get you looking gorgeous for the Ball!"  
  
"What are you saying Bella? Don't I look gorgeous already?" Lily said indignantly. Jessabelle snorted and Arabella laughed out loud. "Hey!"  
  
"Organising the ball must have been more than our dear Lily could handle." Jessabelle commented, then handed a small mirror to Lily.  
  
"AAAAUGHHHHH! We don't have enough time!" Lily cried.  
  
"Yes we do. We'll make you a Cinderella yet. Where's your dress?"  
  
Despite Lily's fear she was ready for the Ball in time, although only with just enough time to get down to the Great Hall. James, Lily and the other prefects had to open the Ball.  
  
"Is that Lily? Our Head Girl? The one who looked like she had traded her hair in for a bird's nest not an hour earlier?" The two prefects from Ravenclaw came up to Lily.  
  
"Thanks" She replied dryly.  
  
"Oh, Lily. You look beautiful!" It was true. Lily had chosen to wear a muggle-style ball dress, but ignoring the usual fashion of the '70s and settling with a plain emerald green dress, though she hardly looked plain in it. She had her hair piled on top of her head, much like in a movie she had once seen, Breakfast at Tiffany's. Lily looked beautiful, elegant and every bit the Head Girl.  
  
"Can you believe we have to leave this place?" One of the Ravenclaws continued. "It's like a second home." Lily turned to the girl, finally acknowledging her.  
  
"I feel exactly the same way." Lily was about to elaborate but Dumbledore waltzed over.  
  
"Time to start don't you think? I believe there are some very excited Graduates on the other side of this door." He indicated the entrance to the Great Hall.  
  
"Ready when you are, Professor." James walked over to them. The music started up, quietly in the background and Dumbledore magically opened the doors. The Feast was spectacular. The House Elves had really out done themselves this time. Everyone sat in his or her house groups albeit at smaller, more inviting tables. Soon it was time for the actual Ball. Dumbledore stood up and the Great Hall grew silent.  
  
"Before we start the dancing and general fraternising," He winked, "I would like to thank the Head Boy and Head Girl along with the prefects for such a wonderful evening that I'm delighted to say is not yet half-finished." Dumbledore smiled out at them, waiting.  
  
"Do we clap?" Sirius whispered to James.  
  
"I think so." James replied. Sirius stood up and began clapping, followed soon by the rest of the Hall.  
  
"Thankyou Mr. Black." Dumbledore continued on, "And now I ask our Head Boy and Head Girl to begin the Ball."  
  
Lily and James stood up smiling, "If you and Sirius don't join us within five seconds I'll never speak to you again. And your toy boy will never have children." Lily muttered to Arabella through her teeth.  
  
"Sold!" Arabella watched James and Lily walk to the centre of the room. They began dancing, still smiling at everyone.  
  
"Where is that cow?" Lily muttered.  
  
"Pardon?" James looked down at Lily.  
  
"Bella promised me..... nothing, never mind." Lily replied, trying not to notice that this was the closest contact she had had with James for the last two months.  
  
"Sirius?" Arabella tore her eyes away from Lily and James, "You don't plan on having children do you..... ever?"  
  
"What? Why?" He growled, furrowing his brow.  
  
"Uhh.... Lily said something 'bout dancing and your children and the likes." She waved her hand dismissively.  
  
"Bella! Come on. Let's save the poor confused souls." Sirius grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor. Not long after Sirius and Arabella had joined Lily and James on the dance floor did the rest of the 7th years begin dancing. As soon as it was safe, Lily broke away from James and walked over to Arabella.  
  
"I'm not speaking to you ever again." Arabella just grinned at her.  
  
"Umm... Lily? Do you want to dance?" A shy Hufflepuff had cautiously approached Lily. "Uh, that is as long as your not involved with James or-" Like a scared little boy he looked over his shoulder and seeing James walking over quickly backed away. "Sorry, I didn't mean-" The Hufflepuff practically ran away from them.  
  
"Um, whoops? What did I do?" James was looking at Lily, clearly confused as she glared at him.  
  
"Nothing." She spat out. "Absolutely Nothing!" Lily stalked off and grabbed the closest guy, starting to dance with him. James watched her, a strange feeling trickling down his spine.  
  
"It's just guilt." He muttered, watching Lily dancing.  
  
"Pardon, James? We missed that.... could you repeat it?" Arabella smirked at him.  
  
"We have to do the prank now. It's perfect. Too early for anyone to have disappeared or gone to bed so everyone will be involved." Sirius cut in before James could respond. "Prongs you get Moony and Jess, Belle you get Lily and I'll find Wormtail."  
  
"24, 36, 82, Haut!" Arabella chimed in, earning weird looks from those around her. They all split up and met again just out the door of the Great Hall.  
  
"Okay, are we ready? Where's Wormtail?" James asked Sirius.  
  
"Couldn't find the little devil. Doesn't matter. We'll find out who he has the hots for then won't we?" Sirius smiled maliciously.  
  
"Away! Away! Evil, away!" Arabella placed her hands on Sirius head while she chanted.  
  
"Oh, dear. Padfoot has gotten to her." Remus commented. "Are we getting this done now or what?"  
  
"Who's doing the honours?" Jessabelle asked. They all turned and looked at Lily.  
  
"Fine," She grumbled, "Versus amormeton!" Glitter was showered down on the occupants of the Great Hall.  
  
"It's so pretty!" Some girl squealed. Everyone stopped and looked towards the ceiling where the glitter was slowly falling.  
  
"I don't like this, Albus." McGonnagal said quietly to Dumbledore. "Where are the Gryffindor Seventh Years?"  
  
"Nonsense, Minerva." Dumbledore conjured up an umbrella and held it over his head. "The Gryffindors are talking just over there." He pointed to the door.  
  
"Then why the umbrella?" She asked suspiciously.  
  
"It's extremely difficult to remove glitter from my beard. Months later I'm still sparkling away." He said jovially.  
  
The glitter had soon settled down and disappeared, much to McGonnagals relief, and everyone resumed dancing. The Gryffindors entered the dance again.  
  
"When's it going to work?" Arabella asked Lily.  
  
"Right about...now." Lily answered. Just as she spoke it seemed that realisation dawned on every face in the Great Hall, if it were a cartoon then light bulbs would appear above every head. There was a mad rush as everyone humiliated themselves by professing their undying love for those who had been just mere crushes the morning before. It had seemed like a cruel joke and hardly a prank but Sirius had reasoned with them, 'If they don't tell their feelings before the end of the Grad. Ball then there might not be another chance!' with a meaningful look towards James.  
  
A good-looking, tall Ravenclaw walked towards Lily and Arabella proving that the charm had worked.  
  
"Lily, I just had to tell you that I think I love you. You're the reason I get up every morning. Please will you dance with me?" Lily raised her eyebrows to Arabella who was trying not to laugh.  
  
"Of course, Matthew." Lily smiled at him and took his hand. The Ravenclaw looked as if he were in heaven.  
  
"I think she's over you now James." Arabella told him.  
  
"Huh?" James was busy declining offers of dancing and marriage and 'Please take me! I'm yours!'s.  
  
"Look." Arabella pointed to Lily and the Ravenclaw, Matthew who were slow dancing. James froze, staring at the two. The same feeling as earlier in the night hit him like a ton of bricks.  
  
"You stupid idiot!" Arabella continued on, breaking James out of his reverie. "Wake up to yourself! She's not going to wait around forever!"  
  
"What can I do?" James asked hopelessly.  
  
"Go and dance with her!" Arabella gave him a push towards Lily.  
  
"She'll kill me!"  
  
"Just try you great big git!" Sirius came up beside Arabella, holding her protectively against him. He had seen a lot of guys looking at her.  
  
"Fine." James walked over to Lily and Matthew. "Um, can I cut in?"  
  
"Sure James. Go right ahead." Lily walked off leaving James staring at Matthew.  
  
"Uhh....that's not what I meant." He quickly walked away from the strange stares the Ravenclaw was giving him. "Lily wait."  
  
"What do you want now James?" Lily asked.  
  
"I just need to talk to you."  
  
"I'm sorry James, but I'm all done with talking." Lily shrugged her shoulders, "What can I say? I made a fool of myself in front of you, things are never going to be the same." Lily now had tears streaming down her face. "Believe me, if I could take it back, I would."  
  
"Lily." James made to grab her hand but she stepped back.  
  
"No." She turned around and ran out of the Great Hall leaving James standing by himself. He ran his hand through his hair trying to figure out why his whole chest seemed to be aching. James felt extremely guilty and regretful that he had hurt someone who he loved but that still didn't--  
  
"Hang on.....I love her." He muttered to himself, a shocked look on his face.  
  
"Indeed, Mr Potter." Dumbledore said, clapping his hand on the young man's shoulder. "And I believe the object of your affection has just ran out of the Hall!" James jumped at the sudden arrival of Dumbledore.  
  
"You have to stop just appearing like that Sir." He replied.  
  
"Give an old man his only pleasure, James. And while you're at it, go and get your girl before you lose her for good! Now! Or you don't graduate." Dumbledore joked and James ran out of the Hall.  
  
"Now let's hope he doesn't screw things up, again!" Sirius said to Arabella as they watched James run.  
  
"Don't even say it! You'll put thoughts into Fate's head!" She responded. Sirius laughed and bent down to kiss her.  
  
"Ewww! Public affection! My eyes they're burning!" Jessabelle cried as she and Remus decided not to interrupt the two lovebirds.  
  
"You have a problem with public affection?" Remus inquired, an idea popping into his head.  
  
"No! I just-"  
  
"Good." Remus cut her off as he grabbed her and kissed her quickly.  
  
"Nope. No problem at all." Jessabelle said after she had recovered. "Hang on," she grinned impishly, "I might need reassurance on that one."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
James ran out of the Great Hall, trying to figure out where Lily could have gone. It turned out she hadn't gone far, James heard sniffing just up ahead. He turned the corner and was just about to call out when Lily saw him and began to run away from him.  
  
"Lily! Please wait!" James finally caught up to her. "I need to talk to you!" He said desperately, grabbing her arm.  
  
"Why James? School's almost over. We don't have to see each other ever again!" Lily struggled to get out of James's grip.  
  
"That's what I'm worried about!" He let go of her arm but she didn't run off as he had expected.  
  
"James-"  
  
"Wait," He put his hand over her mouth, "Someone's coming. Let's go in here." He led her to an unfamiliar portrait. He tapped the frame and it swung open letting them enter.  
  
"It's not a room?" Lily said peering over the edge of the balcony. They were in what seemed like a niche in one of Hogwart's outside walls, but high above the ground.  
  
"Lily, have I lost my chance?" James asked before his nerve ran out.  
  
"Excuse me?" She looked at him in confusion.  
  
"Am I too late? Have you fallen for that Ravenclaw guy or something?"  
  
"You were jealous?" She looked shocked now.  
  
"No! I..... yes, extremely." He admitted. "Please tell me that I still have a chance."  
  
"A chance?"  
  
"To be with you." He looked straight at her, resisting the urge to look at his tempting shoes.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Lily, I love you." He took a step towards her. "I can't imagine what I've put you through, and it's all because I'm such an idiot."  
  
"You're not and idiot." She protested quietly.  
  
"I am."  
  
"Okay, you are." She agreed smiling at him.  
  
"I'm an idiot in love with you, Lily."  
  
"And I'm in love with an idiot."  
  
Their eyes locked in intensity as James closed the gap between them.  
  
And kissed her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*You Were There*  
  
I guess you heard, I guess you know  
  
In time I'd have told you, but I guess I'm too slow.  
  
And it's overly romantic but I know that it's real  
  
I hope you don't you mind if I say what I feel.  
  
It's like I'm in somebody else's dream,  
  
This could not be happening to me.  
  
(Chorus)  
  
But you were there, and you were everything I'd never seen.  
  
You woke me up from this long and endless sleep.  
  
I was alone.  
  
I opened my eyes and you were there.  
  
Don't be alarmed, no don't be concerned.  
  
I don't want to change things  
  
leave them just as they were.  
  
I mean nothing's really different  
  
It's me who feel strange.  
  
I'm always lost for words when someone mentions your name.  
  
I know I'll get over this for sure  
  
I'm not the type who dreams there could be more.  
  
(Chorus)  
  
But you were there, and you were everything I'd never seen.  
  
You woke me up from this long and endless sleep.  
  
I was alone.  
  
I opened my eyes and you were there.  
  
Can I take your smile home with me,  
  
or the magic in your hair?  
  
The rain has stopped, the storm has passed  
  
Look at all the colors now the sun's here at last.  
  
I supposed that you'll be leaving but I want you to know  
  
Part of you stays with me even after you go.  
  
Like an actor playing someone else's scene  
  
This could not be happening to me.  
  
(Chorus) But you were there, and you were everything I'd never seen.  
  
You woke me up from this long and empty sleep.  
  
I was alone.  
  
I opened my eyes and no, I'm not alone, I'm not alone.  
  
I opened my eyes and you were there.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note: Almost finished people!!! Just the epilogue to go and then it's all done! Anyways I really suck at mushy bits and the like so I hope you can deal with what I put in here!!! I would have had this out sooner but I got majorly delayed and also I couldn't write cos I was watching Top Gun (I love Tom Cruise bastard that he is for leaving our Nic.) ANYWAYS!!! Off track here ~_~  
  
Verus amormeton (Latin) means Love's True Desire..or near abouts.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Jlee: I have a life? That's the first I've heard of it! Lol! J/K  
  
Frankie: Go you! Kick Voldie's butt! (x2)  
  
Young Golden Unicorn: Thanks!! I love the enthusiasm!  
  
DragonFly: Do you have sumfin against Harry? Just asking ~_~ Thanks for reviewing!  
  
And now after this long drawn out chapter I can go to bed!!! YAY!!! Sleep!  
  
meg 


	12. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!  
  
Open To Interpretation  
  
"James, sit down!" James ignored Arabella's request choosing to pace up and down the hospital corridor instead.  
  
"Muggle methods! That is one crazy woman!" He replied, turning around and walking up the corridor.  
  
"This is amusing isn't it, Moony." Sirius said to Remus as he watched James.  
  
"Oh, one day you'll know what it's like, Sirius. With the rate you two are going." James retorted, looking slyly at Arabella.  
  
"Hey! Potter you prick!"  
  
"It's a bit rich coming from you, don't you think Prongs?" Sirius grinned at him. Remus snorted, trying to control his laughter at the whole situation.  
  
"And Moony!" James stopped pacing and Sirius turned to him.  
  
"No! I'll save you Remie!" Jessabelle jumped in front of him, much to the amusement of James and Sirius.  
  
"Remie? Oh, this is too good. I-"James was cut off as a nurse appeared at his side.  
  
"Mr. Potter? You can come in and see your son now. Follow me." James's grin broadened as he followed the nurse to Lily.  
  
"Thank Merlin for Lily and her timing." Remus breathed a sigh of relief as pulled Jessabelle into his lap.  
  
"They have a son! Who would have thought, the slowest to get together and yet the fastest to reproduce!" Arabella said sighing. "Ahh, young love."  
  
"Are you calling us old, Belle." Sirius looked at her.  
  
"He's quite sweet if you read between the lines." Arabella cocked her head to the side as if sizing Sirius up. "I wonder how poor Lils is. I agree with James on this one. Muggle methods!"  
  
~*~  
  
"Lily," James hurried over to her, "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Like shit to tell you the truth. And I'm sure I look like it too." She croaked out.  
  
"You look beautiful as usual." James brushed her hair away from her forehead, "Was it painful?"  
  
Lily snorted with laughter, "Not at all James, a breeze!"  
  
James smiled at her, "Stupid question." He bent down to kiss her quickly as the nurse came in.  
  
"Would you like to hold your son?" The nurse asked James.  
  
"Yes," He breathed. Lily watched him a smile playing on her lips. "Wow! I mean, you're amazing." James turned to Lily. "I didn't think....."  
  
"What James?"  
  
"I didn't think it was possible to love two people this much." He murmured. The nurse smiled to herself as she closed the door behind her. It was good to see two young people so much in love.  
  
"I know what you mean." James looked at Lily as she spoke.  
  
"I'm afraid I'll drop him or break him or something." James handed his son to Lily. "Picture perfect moment." He leant in to look at his son again. "He has blue eyes."  
  
"He may have. But it could change in a few days." At James's confused look she elaborated, "All babies are born with blue eyes."  
  
"I hope he gets your eyes." James looked at her, "I love your eyes."  
  
"Eww!" They heard from the doorway. "James Potter, PRONGS! Being mushy! What has the world come to?"  
  
"Padfoot, shutup." James retorted.  
  
"Me-ow! Put those claws away!"  
  
"Shutup Sirius."  
  
"Yes Lily Potter. Can I see the wonderful little Sirius Potter?" Sirius walked towards Lily.  
  
"Sirius Potter? I don't think so. There is no way my son is being called that!" James protested.  
  
"Prongsie! I'm hurt. And so is little Sirius." Sirius covered the baby's ears.  
  
"Do you want to hold him, Sirius?" Lily asked him.  
  
"If I were you Lily I wouldn't let him anywhere near your baby." Arabella came in through the door followed by Jessabelle and Remus.  
  
"Nonsense." Lily handed the baby to Sirius. "Where's Peter?"  
  
"Cafeteria or something. Couldn't be bothered going to get him. We were too interested in the little one." Arabella answered as she and Jessabelle leant over Sirius's shoulder to look at the baby.  
  
"And you said I was being mushy Padfoot! Look at you!" James grinned at Sirius.  
  
"Shutup! He's so cute." Sirius started turning red, holding onto the baby protectively.  
  
"Awww! That's adorable!" Jessabelle crooned.  
  
"The Sirius that no one knows!" Arabella added, pinching Sirius on the cheek.  
  
"Shutup!"  
  
"So what are you going to call the little one?" Remus asked Lily and James while the other two girls and Sirius cooed over the baby.  
  
"Well we thought about it and decided on Harry." Lily spoke for both James and herself.  
  
Sirius, over hearing Lily, held up the baby,  
  
"Welcome to the world Harry Potter."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
From the diary of Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew. 1982.  
  
Lily and James Potter- 15 months after their first and only son was born, Lily and James were murdered by the Dark Lord Voldemort. Their son, Harry Potter, the only survivor.  
  
Arabella Figg- Disappeared after Lily and James Potter were murdered. It is rumoured that she has Harry Potter with her.  
  
Jessabelle Mynoch- Disappeared a year after the deaths of Lily and James. It is said that she now resides in Toronto, Canada.  
  
Remus Lupin- Lives in a state of depression in his apartment in Edinburough, Scotland. To him, three of his best friends are dead as a result of another of his friends. His other two best friends have disappeared, and none know their exact whereabouts.  
  
Sirius Black- Was sent to Azkaban shortly after Lily and James Potter were murdered. He was accused of 13 murders on innocent people, including myself.  
  
I, Peter Pettigrew, know the truth.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Author's Note: Finished! Finally! Okay well mabe not finally cos it's really short but yeh. *Dances around the room* FINITO!!! This was shorter than the rest of the chapters cos it's the epilogue and it probably majorly sucked and I'm sorry bout that but hey, you get that! This is my first fanfic and it's finished!!! YAY!!!  
  
I have another story in my head which I'll have a heap more time to work on so it should be longer and a lot better than this one *fingers crossed*. I don't think it'll be a Lily/James story either. Anyways look for it in about 2/3 weeks time!  
  
Thank you to all my reviewer's. If it wasn't for you guys then I wouldn't have posted anything past the first chapter. You guys rule and I'm still interested to know what you thought of the epilogue so make sure you review again!  
  
My last thank-you section for this story!  
  
Jlee: Thankyou so much for reviewing almost every chapter! You Rule Dood!!!  
  
sweet girl: Don't worry I'm not hurt! Yay! Constructive Criticism!! Anyways if I was reading my story I would be saying exactly the same thing. Make it longer! But I really wanted to get it finished before I go away and so it's short! My next fic will be longer. Also with the language, I rarely swear so it's hard to put it in my story, if ya get what I mean. ~_~  
  
Harmonia: Thankyou! And I'm sorry I finished it so soon, I didn't want to but I had to!!!  
  
Oliverwoodschic: Thanks! And I'm sorry bout your boyfriend! There are lots of other fish in the sea!!!!  
  
Kitty Prydew: Thanks! I love that song too! Daggy as it is, but it's one of my favourite!  
  
Clearbrook: Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou!  
  
Stes: What nationality are you? I'm guessing English isn't your first language so I'm really impressed, you didn't make a single mistake! I'm glad you like my story!  
  
Hazelmist: My computer stuffed up too..or maybe it was Fanfic cos I didn't get sent your review till after I had posted this chapter..but I was bored and wanted to say thank you!!! I don't like people getting left out!!!  
  
Thankyou peoples! You are totally amazing!  
  
~It's over, It's over now. Move over, It's my turn now.lalallalla~  
  
meg 


End file.
